Time Again
by nightkitty555
Summary: When Hermione Granger is returning her time turner to Professor Dumbledore, it breaks and she is taken back to the year it was made, 1975. The last chapter and epilogue are now up! Please Read and Review this last time.
1. Chapter 1 Breaking

Chapter One- Breaking

Fourteen-year-old Hermione Granger yet again was faced with returning to daily life pretending that nothing fantastic and world-shattering had taken place. She and Harry had just gone back in time to save a condemned beast and a convicted mass murderer, both of which were innocent, though society maintained otherwise. This was a bit much for thirteen and fourteen year olds to handle, and it was not even their first nearly deadly adventure, though usually Ron was there for more of it as well. Now that classes were over, she had decided that she would turn in her time turner for good. Though time travel had been used for a very good cause here, it didn't seem right to risk some sort of paradox over taking a few extra classes. Physically this had taken a toll on her as well. She almost always only used the time turner to take the extra classes, just a few hours each week, because she really didn't want to age significantly faster than her peers by taking extra time to study or sleep on a regular basis. So of course for the near-legendary bookworm, sleeping was not a high priority.

No one but Hermione, Harry, and the remaining living Marauders knew the full story of what happened that night, but by the next morning, the whole school knew that Professor Remus Lupin was a werewolf, and the rumor continued that they would yet again be in need for another Defense against the Dark Arts, though he had been the best that any student she talked to could remember, certainly the best of the last three years.

She went straight to his office after being released from the hospital wing, not sure exactly what she wanted to accomplish but not wanting to see him go. Though Hermione would hardly admit it to herself, she was nursing one of those teenage crushes for her prematurely aging professor, even though she knew he was old enough to be her father. She told herself that she would not let this happen again, after she had been one of the girls madly "in love" with Lockheart last year, and he had turned out to be a complete fraud. Professor Lupin was nothing like that. He was knowledgeable and kind, a person Hermione had respected since he scared away the dementor on the train at the beginning of the year and gave them all chocolate. Hermione felt closer to him as she silently kept the secret that he was a werewolf, not even telling him that she knew.

She knocked on Professor Lupin's slightly open office door and stepped in. His head snapped towards her with a strange look- almost hopeful perhaps, though he quickly regained his composure when she asked, "Professor, can't you try to stay? I'm sure Professor Dumbledore would be behind you. We need you here." Her voice was smaller than she felt.

Lupin sighed, "As I already told Mr. Potter, the parents will not like a werewolf teaching their children, and I can no longer even convince myself that I am not a threat to these students. The last thing I would ever want to do is harm an innocent student or inflict anyone else with this disease." He waited for a few moments and sighed again, "Now I suppose I should finish packing."

"I- We will help any way we can," she stammered

He smiled though he looked unusually sad, "I know, Her- Miss Granger. Thank you. I'm sure you have some end of year chores to finish as well. Enjoy your summer."

"Yes, sir," she said, and then walked out of his office with a look over her shoulder, heading to Professor Dumbledore's office to turn in the time turner that she now grasped in her hand.

Lost in thought, an uneven stone in the floor caught her by surprise, sending her forward head first, throwing her arms out in front to brace her fall, no longer thinking of anything else. Sharp pain bit into her hand as the now broken glass of the small hour-glass sunk into her. She closed her eyes and cried out softly, feeling strange magic flow around her.

She got to her feet not feeling anything else wrong with her, though feeling very guilty about the now very broken time turner. She picked up the broken pieces, pulling one out of her hand swiftly with only a slight whimper. Looking at the contraption one last time, she studied the numerous runes in tiny engravings around the object. Hermione wished not for the first time that she could read the writing. All she could understand was the spell-caster's name and the year it was made, a tiny "1975" marked on the bottom.

Feeling sure that Professor Dumbledore could fix her hand as easily as Madame Pomfrey, and knowing that her new confession would not be any easier later, she continued slowly on to Professor Dumbledore's office. "Sugar Quill," she said, giving the password he had told her a few days ago, though it felt like ages. No movement. He must have changed it early for some reason. She gave a few half-hearted attempts to guess, "Lemon drop? Cockroach cluster? Lollipop?" With the pain in her hand reasserting itself in her mind, she turned and went to the hospital wing instead, hoping she could get the password from Madame Pompfrey after being healed. Hermione did not meet anyone on the way to the hospital wing, a strange occurrence for the early afternoon, but she was glad for it, as she hadn't yet decided how to explain her hand.

Walking into the hospital wing, Hermione in all her intelligence and quick thinking could not explain the scene. Ron was not in the bed that he had been just a few minutes ago, though his injuries should have kept him there over another night. Madame Pompfrey was nowhere to be seen, and there was a younger witch bustling about in the far corner of the wing. Closer to her was a boy that looked familiar but that she couldn't place, half-asleep and sporting numerous fresh cuts across his face and exposed torso and arms. Finally, a detail that many would overlook but was the hardest to explain. The windows let in less light than they should be right now, and the direction of the scarcely visible sun indicated that it was somehow early morning.

"Madame Pompfrey?" she called, trying to process what was going on.

The witch that was far too young to be Madame Pompfrey, though she did look the same, came over almost frowning slightly. "I haven't seen you before around the castle dear, and you do not look like a first year. Your hand doesn't look too bad. Go sit down on a bed while I tend to Mr. Lupin, and I will be right with you."

Hermione stumbled over to a bed, head now reeling, recognizing the young man on the bed and trying to explain the world around her. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for the calendar that Madame Pompfrey always kept up. It was not in its usual corner but she found it easily enough. She took a seat on a bed as she read the first date that had not been marked off, September 6th, 1975.

**A/N: I'm writing this as I am on a vacation for a week in a place with no internet. I am nearly going through withdrawal, particularly from Harry Potter fanfiction, so I am getting around to writing some things that have been playing around in my head. I actually already have an ending in mind for this, but I need to flesh out the ideas in the middle, so it may take a while.**


	2. Chapter 2 New Reality

Chapter 2- New Reality

She took a seat on a bed as she read the first date that had not been marked off, September 6th, 1975.

Madame Pompfrey bustled over after giving the future Professor Lupin his potions. Lupin gave Hermione a weak smile and then looked down, looking ashamed. It was all Hermione could do to not run over to see him. He must have only been a year or two older than Hermione and her friends, but he already had a touch of grey in his hair. It must have been just after a full moon. "Now what is your story Miss…?"

"Smith, Jean Smith," she quickly fabricated. "I'm a transfer student who just arrived. I was supposed to go see Professor Dumbledore, but I tripped and fell. I landed on a broken potions vial and cut my hand." Hermione was not the best at making up stories on the spot, but it would have to do. Why would there be an empty potions vial on the ground? She should have just said she'd fallen. She berated herself silently.

The young nurse smiled briefly, "Well I hope you do not come to visit me too often. Goodness knows I have enough regular customers." She did a quick spell and handed her a potion. "Just be careful with it for a few hours." With that, Madame Pomfrey returned to her office leaving the two Gryffindors from different eras alone.

"I forgot to ask her the password for the headmaster's office. Do you think she will be back soon?" Hermione was not eager to have figure out a course of action yet anyway.

Remus happened to know that the headmaster's password was "Gum Drop," as the Maurauders usually made a habit of keeping up with that particular password. However, truth be told, Remus did not want this interesting girl to leave yet, though he couldn't say why. "Yes, she'll be back in a few minutes to check on me." The young man hoped desperately that she would not ask him questions about his injuries that he didn't want to answer. He was not disappointed.

"What's your name? You're the first student I've met. I'm Jean Smith, if you didn't already hear that."

"I'm Remus Lupin," he answered, a bit hesitant.

"What year are you? I'll be a fourth year if everything works out." Hermione wanted to gain information on what was going on, and also to quiet her internal dialogue.

"I'm a sixth year," Remus said, maybe looking a tad bit disappointed, though Hermione told herself she was being silly.

"And what house are you in?" she asked, though she knew the answer.

"Gryffindor"

"That's where I want to be too," she said, eliciting a smile from the injured teenager.

At that moment Madame Pomfrey reappeared, which was just as well because Hermione didn't know exactly what else to say. "Weren't you going to see the headmaster, dear?"

"I forgot to ask you for the password."

"You should have asked Mr. Lupin here. I'm sure he could have told you." Remus wasn't looking at Hermione anymore, and she thought she saw a faint blush on his lightly scarred face. "The password is 'gum drop.'"

"Thank you," she said. "I'm sure I'll see you later, Remus."

And then she left. Remus was left wondering how she could be confident walking around the castle when she just got here. It usually took first years a week to find anywhere. A teacher must have helped her, because she said she had not met any other students. She was definitely someone that he needed to keep an eye on.

Hermione stood nervously outside of Professor Dumbledore's office, wondering if she could deceive the old man, or if she should just tell the truth and hope that he would believe her.

"Gum drop," she whispered, suddenly nervous. The statue moved aside and the spiral staircase brought her to the office door.

"Come in," came a voice that every Hogwarts student knows. After seeing her, he looked almost guarded in his demeanor, a departure from his normal cheery self. He quickly put on a smile. "Lemon Drop?"

Hermione, who had heard from Fred and George Weasley their suspicion that those lemon drops were laced with a mild truth telling potion, respectfully declined.

"Well, could you tell me your business here?"

"Sir, I don't know what you'd like me to tell you or where I should start," Hermione stated.

"The beginnings are generally the most helpful place to start, to better understand the middle and the end."

"Well, I was returning my time turner… at some point in the future that I don't think I should say, and I fell and broke it," she said as she brought out the time piece as evidence. "I found myself here. I'm not sure what else I can say."

"Hmmmm… can you verify that claim?" he asked, noting the lost expression on the girl's face. "Very interesting. To my knowledge, a time turner has not been broken before to test the results. Or perhaps it is the mixture with your blood that caused something so strange. These are not things usually given to students, you know." He said with a raised eyebrow.

"It was so that I could take all of the classes a third year could take," she said blushing. "I realize that this was foolish now." She tried to think of something that could prove her identity. She didn't know the headmaster very personally as she knew Harry did, so she tried to think of something that would have happened by now that she shouldn't know about. Finally, she said with a smile, "I know all about Tom Riddle and the Chamber of Secrets. The monster is a Basilisk, and Hagrid had nothing to do with the first- anything." She winced slightly, immediately realizing her slip. She would have to get better at that. She continued, "I also know about who Tom Riddle became." A number of emotions flashed over Dumbledore's normally so calm face, but he was quick to hide them as Hermione continued. "I also know that Remus Lupin is a werewolf and about the Whomping Willow and the Shrieking Shack."

A stern look came to the headmaster's face, "Now that is confidential information that could harm a young man's life."

"I haven't told anyone, and I never will," Hermione said quickly.

"What do you propose we do from here Miss…?" the professor asked.

"I was hoping you would tell me," she said, avoiding telling her true name. "If it helps I told Remus that I was named Jean Smith and was a fourth year transfer student who hoped to be a Gryffindor." After a pause she questioned, "You believe me?"

He smiled, "If you had ill intent, I would have been alerted by one of my many instruments, and your explanation seems most reasonable to explain your knowledge." Hermione tried not to flinch at the name.

"You would say that fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself, though I'm still working on it," she said with a half-smile, almost crying, remembering her friends left in her time.

"Wise words from a brave girl. Fourth year Gryffindor, you say? I generally insist on sorting new students."

Hermione smiled, "If you insist. Honestly the hat had a difficult time deciding between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. It took almost five minutes to decide. I'm a bit interested to see what it says now."

"Let's try a second time then," he said, getting the ancient hat on her head. It did not fall as far around her head as it had as a first year, stopping just past her ears.

She heard the familiar voice of the sorting hat in her head, 'An older one this time, a rarity. I've always thought that they should wait to sort students. Children change over the years. This is a truly difficult one. Very smart, ambitious, brave, loyal. You would do well in any house.'

Hermione had heard that the hat listened to input, so she thought urgently, 'Not Slytherin. I'd be an outcast and I don't like the people that many of them grow up to be.'

'Slytherin would be a very difficult path for you, though I think you could rise above it and be a good member of the house of the snake. Still, you seem to have a hard enough life already. Tell me, what do you value most?'

Hermione thought briefly about her books and being praised for her intelligence, but quickly those thoughts drifted away. She thought of Harry and Ron saving her from the troll their first year, and then becoming perhaps her first true friends. She would do almost anything to be back with them. They had helped her to be brave enough to deserve to be called a Gryffindor, and they were certainly what she valued most.

'Quite an interesting past you have. All things considered, better be,' "Hufflepuff!"

"'What?!'" Hermione asked, out loud and in her head, moving her hands around the brim so Professor Dumbledore would not take it away, insisting on arguing with the hat more.

'My decisions are final, young one. More people belong to the badger than they think. Some actually ask not to be put in that house. However, the badger is one of the fiercest animals when needed, and Helga was the most loyal person I have ever met, and I have met many. Usually eleven year olds are not old enough to appreciate this though, and I dare say that you would not have at that age either. But you are different now. Enjoy your new house."

**A/N: After some research- thank you HP-lexicon- I found out that Hermione's middle name was Jean in cannon. JK originally said that her middle name was Jane in 2004 in some sort of conference or something, but Jean appeared in book 7, and I like to stick to cannon whenever possible (even cannon from books after my story if it's facts like this that would have been known the whole time). As a side note, I think the timeline should be judged accordingly to it being 1995 on the deathday party scene in the second book, but I am generally just keeping time fairly vague, as we don't know when Harry's parents were in school or how old they were when he was born anyway (at least I don't.) And thanks for the support. I hope you like the new chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3 New House

Chapter 3- New House

"…Enjoy your new house."

"But I'm a Gryffindor," Hermione maintained, confused and a bit hurt. "I've proven that I'm brave over the last few years. Why am I in a different house now?"

"Hmmmm.. Tell me, when you came to Hogwarts, did you have friends that you loved more than yourself, friends that you would defend above all else?"

"No, I was not the nicest person sometimes either."

"Making new bonds can bring out a loyalty that consumes your other attributes, a loyalty that you might not have developed without those bonds. I have often thought that Hufflepuff was a rather under-valued house, and not where many eleven-year-olds want to be, but you will do well there. It will be good for your transition. I will call a prefect to show you the way to your new common room. I will also make a small announcement at dinner about your arrival." He wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to Fawkes. "Fawkes, will you take this to Miss Saunders?" Turning back to Hermione he said, "Miss Saunders is just a year older than you and is a wonderful girl."

"Thank you, sir."

He smiled, "It is my pleasure, though we will need to talk frequently as I do my research. We will find a way to send you back. If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know."

Hermione sat in silence for a few minutes trying to process what had happened to her, until there was a knock on the door. After permission from the headmaster, a tall girl with long, straight brown hair walked in. Professor Dumbledore asked, "Will you please escort our new transfer student around? You will be excused from the rest of your classes today. Another bed will be ready in the fourth year Hufflepuff dorm by tonight, and her trunk will be there."

"Yes sir," and turning to Hermione she smiled and said, "Follow me." She continued after leaving the office, "Are you okay?" to which Hermione nodded.

"It's just a lot at once, but I'll be fine."

"We'll make sure you are. You're part of our family now. You can work out your schedule over the weekend. You haven't missed much in classes the first week, and it's nice that you don't have to jump right into classes. You can for the most part follow your year-mates to classes and meals."

"Ok."

"Basic information, the Great Hall is on the first floor, and the kitchens are in the basement right below. Hufflepuffs go there more than the other houses, probably because our common room is right down the hall. I will take you there last. Slytherin common rooms are somewhere in the dungeons, the Gryffindor common room is somewhere on the seventh floor, and the Ravenclaw one is supposed to be on the fifth, I've heard. You won't visit the other living areas though, and you cannot bring anyone else to ours. They say that Hufflepuff is the only dorm that hasn't been seen by outsiders in the thousand years of the school. Of course this is because we are all loyal to each other, and would not reveal this deepest of our secrets." The girl talked quite a lot and rather fast. It was interesting for Hermione to hear about Hufflepuff though, a house she honestly had not thought about much.

The rest of the day continued similarly, being shown the hospital wing, the library, many classrooms and teachers' offices. She was shown around the grounds, the lake, and the quidditch pitch, and the path to Hogsmead. It was funny being shown around a castle that she undoubtably new better than the older girl, thanks to the marauders' map teaching her the many secret passages of the castle. She even remembered a few that were closed by her time but must not have been when the map was made. She would need to pretend that she did not know her way around for a while though, as well as that she did not know anything about the next roughly twenty years. Acting was not especially one of Hermione's talents, though fortunately planning and quick-thinking were among them.

They went to professor Sprout and set up her schedule, with her taking everything she could except for Divination and Muggle Studies, just as she had been planning on doing in her time. Her schedule barely fit together, but she didn't need extra time to contemplate her past and future anyway, and it would not be as bad as last year.

"Wow, you are signed up for all of the difficult classes. I admit I first signed up for Muggle Studies for the easy class," the older girl stated,

Blushing, Hermione said, "I like to stay busy."

She was introduced to so many people she couldn't hope to remember their names. Most were Hufflepuff, but the older girl also talked to a few Gryffindors and one Ravenclaw. The most shocking moment was being introduced to a sixth year Gryffindor named Lilly Evans who seemed very nice. Harry really did have her eyes. Hermione was too shy in this case to say any more than a brief greeting. There were a few other surnames that Hermione recognized, but no one she knew well other than many of the teachers who would still be teaching by her time. She wasn't ready to properly meet the maurauders yet. Though she knew Remus the best by far from her time, talking to him was not nearly as complicated as the others. There was Sirius Black, the man that she had helped save less than two days ago, a man everyone in her time still believed to be a mass murderer who escaped after twelve years in perhaps the worst place on the face of the planet. Then there was Peter Pettigrew, the actual mass murderer who framed his best friend. Finally there was James Potter, the long dead father of one of her best friends. She had to stop this line of thought entirely when she realized what Harry would have given to have an opportunity like this.

The girl, who Hermione now knew as Meredith Saunders, asked Hermione about her life, or really about the life Hermione was making up. Her story was that she had been attending on of the smaller, less expensive wizarding schools in Wales until someone from the school approached her family saying she had real promise and really should be attending Hogwarts.

"I certainly believe that after looking at your schedule. I certainly hope you are a good student or you are in for a hellish year."

This was the story she and the headmaster had quickly fabricated, and he said he would make the paperwork convincing enough that anyone curious would be satisfied. She kept her muggle home life the same, saying her parents were muggle dentists. There were not as many muggleborns at Hogwarts in this time, though the number was growing apparently. Hufflepuff had the most, and as far as anyone knew at least, Slytherin had none.

There were no incidents except for during lunch. Meredith thought that lunch in the Great Hall was a lot to take in so soon, and the kitchens were always fun to visit, so the two girls agreed to go there. Hermione had never seen a wizarding kitchen and was rather curious. She had read very little about it, except for the wonderful spell that transfers food from the kitchen to the Great Hall above. She was not at all prepared for what she saw. Hundreds of house elves were scurrying around finishing the noon meal. Though Hermione had not given it much though, she supposed she had imagined most of the work being done by pure magic, food zooming around seemingly preparing itself because of spells from a few chefs. This however looked like slavery! She hoped that this was another thing that had changed by her time, but a bit inside of her doubted it.

"House elves!? In Hogwarts?" she questioned, trying not to show too much feeling and failing utterly.

"Yes; they are quite skilled at cooking and cleaning, and I don't know how the castle would run without them. I know it's weird for muggleborns to get used to; it was weird for me my first visit here, but they are very happy here. They are really only happy when they are working on something."

"But, slavery? How can Dumbledore let that happen?" This was the first time Hermione had even thought of the professor as someone less than perfect, something hard to reconcile in the girl's mind.

"It's in their nature to serve. I've heard of them going crazy when abandoned. Dumbledore sometimes takes in elves who have been dismissed and gives them work, which helps them get better," the girl explained."

These things were whirling around in Hermione's head. She disregarded the speculation about house elves going insane. Dobby was fine after he was freed, wasn't he? A small part of her said that she really had no idea, but she abandoned that thought quickly. She did know that she really shouldn't try to change anything in this time, but this needed to stop! She decided that she would research in her spare time and start her real efforts when she was back home. Until then she would treat the elves nicely and make sure they knew freedom was an option. "Thank you sir," she said, after which the house elf that brought her food scurried away. The rest of the day was mostly uneventful.

Finally, she came to the Hufflepuff common room.

"Remember, never tell others where this is or especially how to get in," she said, opening the way into the common room. "Welcome to your new home away from home." What met her eyes was a room even more cheerful and home-like than the Gryffindor common room. There were plants everywhere of almost every variety imaginable that wasn't dangerous, both muggle and wizarding. These must have been from Professor Sprout, the Hufflepuff head of house. There were many couches and arm chairs around a big fireplace, fluffy rugs covering the floor, almost everything decorated in yellow and black with badger decorations many of the surfaces. There was a doorway on either side, one for boys and one for girls, and rooms for each year were on those hallways, rather than the staircases of Gryffindor, which made sense because the Hufflepuff common room was not in a tower. The doors did not just have the years of the students, but the names of the students themselves. The years were not in the correct order, seemingly because the students kept the same room each year. This year the sixth year dorms were in the middle of the hall, with the hall extending outwards, with second year on one far end and third years on the other.

"Your room might be a little crowded now. There will be five fourth year girls, but I'm sure the other girls won't mind. They're a good bunch, Hufflepuff at its best. Most groups are by this age, but you will have some years with a few problems."

The room was about the size of her Gryffindor one, but in addition to the beds, there was a little fireplace and couch in one corner, so it would be a bit crowded. Hermione personally suspected that these rooms were magically expanded if needed to accommodate a large year of students if needed, but that wasn't mentioned in _Hogwarts, A History_, so she was not sure. There were no windows, but strangely, Hermione did not miss them, though she had loved looking out her window from the tower.

"Hey, Mery, who's this?" said a tall blond girl with wavy hair asked.

"This is Jean Smith, your new roommate, a transfer from a little school called St. Anne's.

"Hi, I'm Alice," the girl introduced herself with a smile and a handshake, "It's almost dinner time. Why don't we go get the others and head to the Great Hall?"

The three girls set off, with Meredith waving goodbye in the hallway probably to catch up with her own friends. Turning, she said, "You can ask me anything anytime, and the same goes for any of the older students, especially prefects. I hope you really love it here."

**A/N: This is my longest chapter yet, and I'm so excited about it. I know it still isn't very long though. I like to read long chapters, but they are very hard to write. Please let me know what you think. I tend to like dialogue and didn't think this chapter had enough. What do you think? Please help. I want to make this the best that I can.**


	4. Chapter 4 New Friends

Chapter 4- New Friends

"_Hi, I'm Alice," the girl introduced herself with a smile and a handshake, "It's almost dinner time. Why don't we go get the others and head to the Great Hall?"_

_The three girls set off, with Meredith waving goodbye in the hallway probably to catch up with her own friends. Turning, she said, "You can ask me anything anytime, and the same goes for any of the older students, especially prefects. I hope you really love it here."_

'Come on, let's find them," Alice said with a smile, grabbing Hermione's hand and tugging her back into the common room. "We all like different things, so we really don't spend much time together outside of class, but the four of us always meet in the common room around this time if we can and go to dinner together."

They walked over to a group of three girls on a couch near the fireplace chatting with each other. "Everyone, this is Jean Smith, a new student that will be in our year."

"Oh wow. I've never heard of that before. Surely they'll make our room bigger?" from a dark haired girl with thick eyebrows.

"No such luck yet Ash. And Jean, that's Ashton Davies. Her bed is next to yours. She wants to be a potions mistress for a company, though Slughorn doesn't appreciate her like he should. Then there's Kate Morrow," Alice said, indicating the girl with short dark blonde hair who waived. "She wants to be a healer and she's on the quidditch team. And this is Rebekah Heart," she said, turning to the girl with straight brown hair that went down to her waist." She hasn't picked a path yet, but we're sure she'll be great."

"Haha thanks. Careers aren't the only thing some of us care about, Miss Future Auror. Come on, let's go to dinner," Rebekah said as she started to walk towards the entrance, looking back. As they walked, she said, "Alice is the most interesting of us. I think she started to want to be an auror because of Frank, but now she's caught the bug from him. She'll be great at it too. She's one of the best in our year."

"Frank?" Hermione asked, trying to take everything in.

"Frank Longbottom, Alice's boyfriend since last Christmas," Aston explained, "It caused quite a stir honestly, he being a popular Gryffindor sixth year and she a Hufflepuff third year," she said with a bit of a smirk. "He's head boy now. He'd be annoying in his incessant talk about becoming an auror if he weren't so sweet to Alice and nearly perfect in general. Suffice to say, he has won our approval."

"Haha," Alice laughed, "I'm glad to know he's passed. Heaven help him if the three of you were against him."

Hermione grew silent, wondering if this girl grew up to be the mother of her first wizarding friend, Neville Longbottom. Neville was the first person who she talked to on the train that had been nice to her. She wished now that they had become closer, but she had become friends with Ron and Harry, and somehow Neville was just there but never close. She knew that he had been raised by his grandmother, though Hermione realized now that she didn't know why or what had happened to his parents. She pondered that there was so much that she didn't know. She didn't like to think of anything hurting this sweet, welcoming girl.

Stepping into the Great Hall was an odd experience. It looked exactly the same, the same ceiling showing the sky above and the same house tables in their normal places. Her friends weren't there though. She stole a glance at the Gryffindor table, looking for the maurauders. Her heart jumped from seeing who could only be James Potter. He looked just like Harry, though a bit older. She could see the younger versions of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew sitting right across from each other, the four of them looking thick as thieves. Those two were almost as painful to look as James, knowing what would happen to them.

She finally looked at Remus and saw that he looked even more tired than she felt. It had been hours since she had slept, because it was evening when she left and morning when she appeared here. And just the day before she had traveled in time to save the man sitting twenty feet from where she walked past. It was enough to give anyone a headache. She also noticed that Remus was looking up and down the table looking a bit sad. He met her eyes and smiled and waved when he saw her walk past. She received many odd and curious looks from other Hufflepuffs as she sat down at their table, but no one else seemed to notice.

After most people had arrived, the headmaster stood up and cleared his throat, an unusual action. Some magic seemed to be at work in the way he could gather attention so easily. "I would like to introduce all of you to our new student, Jean Smith, who is a transfer student this year." The students could be seen looking around the Great Hall for an unfamiliar face, with some of the Hufflepuffs looking right at her. "She is now a fourth year Hufflepuff, and I know all of you will make her feel welcome in her new home."

Hermione knew she was probably just being suspicious, but she thought that most of the student body had lost interest when she was not in their house (or their rival's house), but maybe that was just her own insecurity about not being in Gryffindor. The rest of dinner consisted of being welcomed by what must have been half of Hufflepuff, which was nice, though a little overwhelming.

Her roommates spent dinner chatting with each other and the people around them, trying to include Hermione whenever possible. Hermione apologized a few times saying she was too tired and a bit overwhelmed for proper conversation, which her fellow Hufflepuffs understood and respected. Hermione took this time to look around the Hall for other people she might recognize, trying to think of who might be the right age. She looked at the Slytherin table in search of her future potions master, Severus Snape. She found him rather easily, his greasy black hair being easy to spot and his beak-like nose and pale skin confirming his person.

The person next to Snape was a bit more of a surprise, but he could only be a teenage Lucius Malfoy. His blond hair already hung neatly to his shoulders and his face read contempt seemingly for everything he saw. He looked old for a Hogwarts student, but he must have still been a seventh year. The two young Slytherins did not seem to be talking to each other or anyone else. The whole table was much less talkative than the others, but these two boys and the ones around them especially.

As she emptied her plate, she was thankful that her roommates did not seem to want to linger after finishing eating, some of them saying they had homework to do, as Hermione didn't want to reveal how well she knew the castle already by walking back alone. Upon entering the common room, she immediately walked towards her new room. "I just want to get settled a bit, and I'll see you all later."

The girls did not follow, figuring that she might want a bit of time alone, a fairly rare thing in such a full castle unless you took time to seek out empty spaces. She had been worried about having things for the year, but Dumbledore had said her trunk would be there. Indeed, when she looked by her new bed, there was a new looking trunk beside it, which contained everything a fourth year girl might need from clothes to school books. There was even make-up and some hair care products that promised to tame uncontrollable manes. At first she was slightly affronted by this suggestion, but decided that perhaps a slight disguise might be best before classes started. She decided she would try them out in the morning, wishing to herself that she had gotten a chance before dinner that night. Hermione did occasionally wonder how all of this could possibly work out without every teacher and student remembering her, but she still trusted Professor Dumbledore to help her through.

There was a note to one side in the trunk that read: 'Here is the trunk that your grandfather left for you. If there is anything else you might need, let me or one of the house elves know. We all want this transition to be as smooth as possible. Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore.'

Hermione smiled, knowing she needed to thank the headmaster for her trunk sometime privately. She sat on her bed and opened one of her new books, glad for some time to prepare for her classes on Monday, but worried about the entire first week of school that she had missed. She would need to ask her roommates about her assignments.

A small smile grew on her face, wondering what Harry and Ron would say knowing that she was worried about having missed a week of classes when she was trapped in a past she couldn't escape from. Still, nothing needed to get in the way of a good education. She wondered briefly if she would have to repeat all of this when returning to her own time anyway, but pushed that thought aside as something that would only discourage excellent performance and therefore should not be dwelled upon.

For a few hours alone in the room she could almost believe that she was back in her Gryffindor room and nothing life altering was going on. The long day caught up with her and she drifted off to sleep in her four poster bed surrounded by her new school books before any of her roommates came to bed.

**A/N: I'm surprised this chapter still ended up being short because I kept throwing more things into it. Lots of people were met in this chapter, so I guess that's exciting. I hope people still like my story, and I thank everyone who has reviewed for their kind words. It truly gives me the motivation to write. I promised a reviewer that this chapter would be up this weekend, or it definitely wouldn't. I'm glad it is though (or at least close to it, depending on your time zone). I'm writing a few scenes right now (not exactly in order but as inspiration hits. I've got part of the next chapter written, but I might add more to it before posting. I've also got a Harry/Fleur story bouncing around in my head that I might put into words soon. I might wait for a bit though. I don't want this story to suffer. Again, please review- it keeps me motivated.**


	5. Chapter 5 A Second Second Meeting

Chapter 5- A Second Second Meeting

_For a few hours alone in the room she could almost believe that she was back in her Gryffindor room and nothing life altering was going on. The long day caught up with her and she drifted off to sleep in her four poster bed surrounded by her new school books before any of her roommates came to bed._

In moments of need and confusion Hermione had always turned to one of two places: someone in authority or a good book that she could learn from herself. After going to Professor Dumbledore, she decided that it could not hurt to learn as much as she could about time travel for herself, which of course meant a trip to the library. She slipped out of bed and dressed herself as silently as she could, hoping to escape her dorm mates and study for a while before breakfast. She had adjusted to sleeping less than most people due to her time turner usage and extra classes. Hermione really didn't want to explain her actions to her new friends (she hoped she could call them friends at least) and would simply say that she was exploring if asked later.

She took a quick shower, following the instructions on the seemingly very nice magical hair products and was surprised to see her hair tamed to gently curly waves instead on unmanageable fuzz. She found herself almost unrecognizable.

The library felt exactly the same. The smell of old books sitting on shelves waiting to be read by inquiring young minds, or one young mind at least. Hours could pass without Hermione feeling the need to move from her spot for anything other than to find another book, though Harry and Ron are usually not that patient.

Hermione was not having much luck finding much information on time travel. There was much more available in her time, she vaguely remembered from a brief look when she first requested her time turner. Still, there was enough information for Hermione to sift through for a few hours ignoring hunger. She was completely alone except for Madame Pince, though a much younger Madame Pince than Hermione remembered, and who still seemed to all but live in the library.

"Oh, Hello," said a voice startling Hermione from her work and prompting her to quickly snap her current book shut, kicking herself for not disguising the book first. The young man, who was shown to be Remus Lupin continued. "You look different," he said, though not saying anything else positive or negative about her appearance. She was almost surprised he recognized her after only their brief encounter. "Saturday morning reading before you've been to a single class? Are you sure you aren't a Ravenclaw?"

"Haha," came a slightly forced laugh.

"I was a bit sad that you weren't a Gryffindor… because you said you had wanted that… but the sorting hat usually seems to know what it's doing. I'm sure you'll be very happy," he said, not quite looking at her.

"So," she said, wanting to talk about something else and saying the first thing she could think of, "What brings _you_ here early on a Saturday morning?"

"Well it's hardly early now. It will be afternoon soon. I take it you have been here a while though," he laughed but quickly looked more serious and perhaps a bit nervous. "I have some work to do after missing a few classes yesterday," he said, gesturing to the books under his arm and again hoping that she wouldn't question him more. Maybe he should have tried to avoid saying anything at all. Just like in the hospital wing though, she let him be without any further questions, even though that would have piqued almost anyone's curiosity. He was immensely grateful, though it only made him more curious about her.

"Are you going to lunch now?" she asked, yet again feeling the need to change the subject and now finally hearing her stomach protest that she had not eaten yet today. "I haven't quite learned the way yet, though I'm picking things up fast," she smiled and hurriedly put the books she had been looking over away.

"I would be honored to walk you there, Miss Smith," Remus smoothly offered, wondering where these words were coming from. He glanced at what she was reading, always keeping an academic interest. A wide array of books seem to be present including one he had recently read, 'Magical Advancements of the Twentieth Century' as well as one interesting looking tomb called 'Time Traveler Testimonies.'

"H- Jean, just Jean," she said, catching herself quickly and hoping she hadn't sounded too odd, though he didn't seem to notice anything.

They walked to the Great Hall keeping up a light banter, mostly about Hermione's adjustment to Hogwarts. She told the story of the first time she was lost in Hogwarts trying to find the library, though making it sound like it had been a few hours ago rather than as a first year many years in the future. "And then I finally ran into a Ravenclaw boy who told me how to get to the library. I'd actually almost made it there and was just off a floor."

"Well, here we are," he said, spreading his arms grandly at the large open doors that led to where many students were already gathered for lunch. "I'm- uh- sure I'll see you around."

"I'm sure you will," Hermione replied, wondering what was going on. She wondered if Professor Lupin- no, Remus- could ever see her… 'No,' she told herself. 'Surely not…' but it was curious. She made sure to show what she hoped was a warm, possibly flirty smile, never being very gifted at such arts.

They parted ways, each walking to their respective tables, Remus trying to bring himself into some semblance of order, teetering between elation at her smile and depression that he was not a normal sixteen-year-old male who was free anytime to make girls smile. This wasn't something he felt like discussing at the moment though.

"Ree-mus?" young Sirius Black tried getting his friend's attention as they ate their lunch. "Got it that bad already? I've said your name three times now, and it takes a lot for your impeccable senses to fail," he laughed. Remus did usually have rather above normal senses for a human even while not transformed.

Remus looked at him a bit grumpily at being brought out of his thoughts, "What the hell are you talking about?" Almost instantly he had a remorseful look, "Sorry, must not be better yet. You know how it can be…" He told himself that any and all mood instability was just a product of the very recent full moon.

"Quite alright. And I'm talking about the cute new Hufflepuff girl you came in smiling with. She's a cute one, eh? Are you sure it's the same girl as yesterday?"

Remus frowned again, "Aren't you with Samantha Boot right now?" something in him not wanting Sirius to win over Jean, as Sirius doubtless could.

"I am with Sammi, over three weeks now, thank you very much, and I wouldn't think of touching the new girl anyway."

"And what's wrong with her?" Remus asked.

"Nothing, but I think you like her, and I'd never break that first rule of brotherhood," Sirius replied, almost sincerely.

"Well it hasn't been very limiting for you thus far, with James never giving up on Lily Evans even when she clearly can't stand him," Remus said, though this no longer seemed to be completely true. He saw them have a brief but civil conversation on the train that he had not asked James about yet, and she seemed to no longer be avoiding him.

"Hey!" James Potter said, speaking up when he heard his name and or possibly from hearing Lily's. "I resent that. She is definitely warming up to me now."

"Suuure she is," piped in Peter with a grin.

Remus was privately glad for any conversation that was not directly about him, as he really needed more time to think. He told himself that it wasn't as if there was really anything to think about. The meal continued with no more discussion of the new brown-haired Hufflepuff. He privately thought to himself that the wild hair had been cuter, though she was more classically pretty with the soft waves.

"Catching a guy already? And one of the Marauders no less? Usually Remus Lupin avoids girls like dragon pox. I had begun to wonder if he fancied Black," Rebekah teased her roommate.

"Now you know that isn't true. He's just shy and didn't want you throwing yourself at him last year, you flirt!" Alice laughed.

Hermione was already getting used to her new housemates, the two most outspoken ones at least. Rebekah was fun and never serious, smart but a bit flighty. She wondered what career could keep this girl's attention. Alice was sweet and fair to everyone, always having a smiling face. Sometimes she could see glimpses of Neville in her features, making Hermione glad that she had obviously worked well with Frank Longbottom, as Hermione tried to put away worries about why she had not been around to raise her son.

"Remus was just nice enough to show me the way to lunch. I ran into him in the library," Hermione explained.

"And this wouldn't have anything to do with your hair looking completely different, would it? One would think you were trying to _impress_ someone," Rebekah teased again.

About to protest, Aston Davies, the girl interested in potions, Hermione remembered, cut her off asking, "What potions did you use?"

"Uh, something my friend got me before going to a new school. Madame Lovely's, I think it's called?" Hermione supplied trying to remember the name.

"Ooohh that's a top notch brand. They have all the best skin care products too. I would _love_ to work there after graduation," Ashton almost moaned. "I bet workers have fabulous discounts too, and their products are pricey." Hermione immediately felt bad that the headmaster had gone through so much trouble for her, and a bit of her wondered if she could afford to keep her hair like this back home as well, an unusual thought for the young bookworm.

Hermione liked her new friends and thought that staying here a while could be pleasant, though she really wanted to head back to the library. She had heard about all of their assignments during lunch and felt the need to get started on them right away, despite the assurances of her peers that almost all the teachers wouldn't expect her to do anything by Monday, much less be completely caught up. Also, most of the assignments wouldn't be due for a few more days or weeks anyway.

Hermione got up, pretending to clarify the way back to the library, as if she had not spent close to a solid year's worth of time there before, and headed off with a wave backwards as she approached the door, obviously not paying as much attention as she should have.

"Oof," Hermione let out as she bumped into a tall form behind her.

"Hello sweetheart."

**A/N: Next chapter I think will start some of the things that people have been waiting for. I hope at least. I almost made this chapter longer, but I love ending it where I did. Also if I made this chapter longer the next chapter would have been really short or it would have been stuck with some other stuff that it didn't flow well with. The next chapter should be up soon. I like having a little time to mull over a chapter before giving it to the internet. I changed chapter 4 so many times before putting it up, and I'm still thinking about maybe changing it again. Please review and tell me what you think about everything. I've got several more ideas and some things written already. I've written little mini scenes that won't take place for a long time. I'm so excited about this. It also beats Tax and Audit textbook reading by a lot… Everyone needs an outlet for their creative side. I'm trying to make sure I write a little every day and update at least once a week. I know the chapters are short, but I hope this is good enough and people enjoy reading it. Sorry for the long authors note.**


	6. Chapter 6 Old Friends

Chapter 6- Old Friends

"_Oof," Hermione let out as she bumped into a tall form behind her. _

_ "Hello sweetheart."_

Hermione looked up to meet dark brown eyes, not haunted like they would be years later when they met again. Hermione turned around to properly see the smiling face of a young, rather handsome Sirius Black. "Hello," she managed.

"I thought it proper to introduce ourselves. We practically run the school by now," he boasted in a joking way, making Hermione wonder if he was flirting with her. This bothered her more than the thought that Remus might be. He was rather handsome though. "I'm Sirius Black, and this is James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and I believe you already know Remus Lupin," he said, gesturing to each of his friends in turn.

Hermione watched their reactions as they were introduced, which were all somewhat generic. James, looking so much like Harry, nodded and smiled at her pleasantly though not really paying that much attention. Hermione noticed him glance towards Lily Evans every few seconds still smiling. She wondered at what point Harry's parents had gotten together, trying to think if she had ever been told. Some things were weird to think about.

Peter just stood in the back and waved. Hermione couldn't picture this seemingly shy boy as the same one who betrayed his friends and lived as a rat for more than a decade. Finally, braving a look at Remus, she almost thought he was blushing as he smiled at her. Truly this was strange.

"It's ah- very nice to meet all of you, but I really must be heading to the library. Lots of work to do to catch up before Monday," Hermione managed, feeling a bit uncomfortable from the four boys around her.

"It's Jean, right?" Sirius asked, waiting for Hermione's nod. "Well Jean, we gentlemen can hardly let a pretty young lady get lost in the castle. Someone must accompany the young lass. Remus, you spend an ungodly number of hours in the library, don't you? A bit more could hardly hurt."

"I know the way," Hermione protested, though a little part of her was saying just to hold her tongue.

"I don't mind at all, unless you would rather be alone," Remus smiled a bit, looking at her now. "It is really easy to get lost."

"Thank you then," Hermione settled on and slowly started walking towards the entrance, Remus falling into step beside her.

"Has everything been going alright?" Remus ventured, trying to find something he hadn't already said.

"Yes, everyone's been very nice," Hermione replied. Silence fell for a few moments until Hermione broke it, "How was your summer?"

"It was good. The other three: Sirius, James, and Peter, that is, came to visit me a few times for a day or two, which was very nice of them."

"That's nice that you have such good friends." Hermione wondered if this was to keep him company for the full moon, wishing she knew how to brew wolfsbane potion and knowing she shouldn't give it to him anyway because it probably hadn't even been invented yet.

"Yeah… How was your summer?" he asked.

"Busy," she said, trying to think back to her last summer with her family for inspiration. "My family and I went to France."

"Oh, I hear the branch of Gringotts there is amazing and they have a large entirely wizarding community completely concealed just outside of Paris." He talked eagerly and with curiosity.

"Uh, we actually just saw the Muggle sights. My parents are muggles, you see. I would love to see the wizarding side as well next time though. We go over there most summers at least for a week."

"You'll have to tell me how it goes," Remus ventured.

"I will," she replied, and silence fell until they reached the library.

"Well, here we are," Remus said. "I'll be over by the back tables if you need me," he said, though in all honesty Remus didn't need to use the library any longer and could have worked on his assignments just as easily in his room or common room.

"Thanks," she said, going over to the area that transfiguration books were in her day, hoping the library had not changed too much over the years. She ordinarily would have gone by her common room to gather her textbooks first, but the library copies would serve just as well, something she probably could have done for years and saved her back some grief.

A few hours later she put away all of the books she had been using and rolled up her finished Transfiguration essay and put away all the books she had been using. "Goodbye Remus," she called softly as she passed him on her way out of the library, intent on going by her dorm for a while before dinner.

"Do you need help?" Remus called after her.

"No, I'm fine," she left, not noticing Remus's sigh as he slowly packed up his belongings and headed back towards Gryffindor tower, not having any reason to stay longer and telling himself that he was foolish to stay in the first place.

By the time Remus reached his dorm room, he was positively fuming, a rare occurrence for the young werewolf. He walked right over to his friends that seemed to be gossiping or some such activity. "SIRIUS BLACK, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU WERE TRYING TO PULL?"

Sirius, the picture of innocence, in mock surprise said, "Whatever do you mean?"

Lupin growled though reigning in his brief temper, "You know ruddy well what I mean, practically trying to force me onto that poor girl."

"Remus, don't you think you are overreacting a bit?" James reasoned. "It's not like you haven't gone after girls before. Padfoot was just trying to help."

"Yeah," Sirius broke in.

"Well, maybe I've decided that inflicting myself on innocent girls is not very honorable. Furry beast waiting to tear them limb from limb and all that," Remus spout honestly though hotly.

"You aren't a monster, mate," Sirius put in, "just a guy with a furry little problem." James and Peter both nodded in support.

""Not everyone would see it that way. Maybe the hurt isn't worth it," Remus said, looking at his feet.

"You can't live your life in fear," James said.

"I'm not afraid," Remus said defensively. "Just realistic," at the huffs of his friends he thought of more to say, "You guys are the ones jumping to conclusions. I hardly know her." After grasping as air he continued, "An she's too young for me anyway, only a fourth year."

Sirius laughed, "When people were giving Frank a hard time last year I remember you say along the lines of 'age doesn't matter at all so long as you care for the person.'"

"Well, they have different circumstances, don't they?" Remus bit back.

James sighed, "This isn't getting anywhere. Just know that some people see better parts of people, and that we're always here for you." The other boys again nodded.

"Thanks," he said, turning away lost in thought, determined that he would stay away from Jean Smith for her own good. As if she would even notice anyway.

"Hey," James said, "You'll be okay. Trust us. You're going to be the happiest of us all one day if it's the last thing we ever do."

**A/N: I'm sorry for all of the short chapters, but I try to break where it is logical to break. I hope these are satisfying enough. I'm really enjoying writing this. It comes easier than I thought it would. I wanted to end this one on a little bit of an up note. Remus may be down sometimes as would make sense in his situation, but he has good friends that don't let him stay that way. In other news, I've started writing the Harry/Fleur story. I don't know when I'll start posting it though. I've just been stuck on this story until I can get my books from home, and I needed something to write.**

**Also I've been going back and forth in my head as to whether to cut one of the roommates from the story for simplicity's sake. This spawned from a reader recommendation, but I'm not sure what I want to do. Thoughts? I'd cut Ashton (potions girl) because the other two are more interesting (though you haven't seen Kate speak much yet), and Ashton doesn't serve as much of a purpose… Right now it would just mean cutting a paragraph or two. I'd love feedback though. Are fewer OC's better, or is it cool to just have her sit there and not do much? **

**I was going to wait until the weekend to post this, but I thought it would make people happy now, and I couldn't wait! Sorry for the really long author's note.**


	7. Chapter 7 First Classes

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter. I thank **_**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them**_** for some random information. I tried looking in GOF, but there were surprisingly few scenes with classes in that.**

Chapter 7- First Classes

"_Thanks," he said, turning away lost in thought, determined that he would stay away from Jean Smith for her own good. As if she would even notice anyway._

_ "Hey," James said, "You'll be okay. Trust us. You're going to be the happiest of us all one day if it's the last thing we ever do."_

*****Hermione*****

Hermione woke up Monday morning ready to face a new year of classes, though still self-conscious about being a week behind. Though in all honesty she had almost finished all the homework that had been assigned over the weekend, even material that wouldn't be due for a few weeks. She rolled out of bed and walked to their bathroom that was already crowded with her suitemates. She quickly prepared herself for the day, including her hair treatments that were already feeling second nature.

"Are you excited for your first day, Jean?" Alice asked. She seemed to be the most awake of them this early.

"Yes," she admitted.

They went off for their first class, Care of Magical Creatures with the Ravenclaws. Hermione would never admit it to Hagrid, but she was excited at the prospect of learning from a different teacher in that particular subject. Hagrid had rather dangerous tastes in magical creatures, and she privately thought that he was not a very gifted teacher. Of course she loved Hagrid as one of her good friends so she would never, ever say that, but there was perhaps an extra spring in her step on the way out of the castle.

"Don't get too excited," Rebekah spoke up. "Professor Kettleburn lost a leg over the summer and now he's too afraid of anything interesting. After all, he already lost an arm before then."

The five girls all took Care of Magical Creatures, so they all headed out the doors together. The class wasn't required for the auror field, but it could be useful in some cases, and Alice wanted to be prepared for anything. The class was suggested for people like healers and potions masters, because many potions ingredients come from such creatures. Rebekah seemed to really love different creatures from the little Hermione knew of her, so maybe there was a future there for her there, though she didn't know it yet.

Hermione was more of a knowledge-for-knowledge's sake sort of person and would take as many classes as she could (except Divination which was not worth anyone's time). It even hurt her that she couldn't take Muggle Studies, but it was hard enough fitting in everything else that she was taking.

They met in an area not far from Hagrid's hut, very close to where they met in Hermione's day. Professor Kettleborn met them there with a thin, greenish black bird that probably could pass for a vulture in front of muggles.

As they all gathered around the middle aged two-limbed man, he asked, "Who can name this creature?"

Half a dozen hands went up, though Hermione held hers back, not sure yet how she wanted to hold herself in this decade.

Professor Kettleburn called on a Ravenclaw who answered, "It's an augury, sir."

"Thank you," he said, nodding at the girl. "Who can tell us more about them?"

The same hands went up and a few more as well, perhaps remembering stories.

A Ravenclaw boy answered, "Their cries were once thought to predict death, but they were later proven to just predict the rain."

"Excellent Mr. Hill, five points for Ravenclaw," said the professor, making the boy smile in what Hermione thought was a bit smugly. Professor Kettleburn, who was by then become a bit more excited continued, "And now for the lessor known question: What do they eat?"

"Dead people," one voice muttered, though Hermione couldn't tell who said it.

The teacher frowned, "Does no one have even a legitimate guess?"

Hermione slowly raised her hand. "Ah," he said with a wide smile, "Our new student, Miss Smith. Don't be shy."

"They eat large insects, and fairies when they can get them, sir," she answered.

Professor Kettleburn was clearly excited, "Excellent work, Miss Smith, ten points to Hufflepuff!"

More than half of the Ravenclaws looked like they had had a bad lemon drop. There were always too many Ravenclaws like that. Most were nice but some wanted so badly to appear intelligent that they didn't like anyone else having a moment. Hermione didn't let it bother her because she had dealt with it were so long. By the end of class there already seemed to be two major groups of Ravenclaws. There were those who seemed to respect her, and there were those who just wished she would be quiet and did not hide their feelings on the matter.

Hermione smiled. Few things felt better than a teacher's praise. She had nearly memorized _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ last summer because she was so worried that she would be behind after her third failed attempt to read her copy of _Monster's Book of Monsters_ that had been the assigned text for Hagrid before her third year. Professor Kettleburn evidently found _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ a good enough book for his fourth years.

Hermione walked back to the castle quite happy with her first class, knowing that there was no way she would be able to hold her tongue when she knew the answers. She was who she was.

*****Hermione*****

Next was Transfiguration with the Slytherins. Hermione was happy for the bit of familiarity that Professor McGonagall provided, though she was younger and didn't remember Hermione, it was still comforting to see any familiar face that didn't have any negative associations that went along with it. She was very happy that she didn't recognize any of the Slytherins in her year.

The professor welcomed her with a rare smile. "You can get assignments from last week from one of your classmates. I expect you to complete them, but you can take an extra week so that you can get settled," she said in her stern but somehow also kind manner. "My door is always open if one of the other students can't help you."

Hermione said, "Thank you, professor. I've already been told my assignments, but I will be sure to go over them again before turning them in."

Minerva McGonagall was shocked by the implication that this girl had already finished all of her assignments, perhaps even for all of her classes, but she didn't let that show, already curious about the young Hufflepuff. She had the brief inclination already wishing that the young girl were in her house.

Their task for the day was to turn a rat into a canary, a more difficult task than Hermione had performed in the past. Professor McGonagall showed the class the incantation and some theory, talking about the difference between the two animals, specifically the bird's hollow bones. Then, as any transfiguration class Hermione had had in the past, they were to try themselves.

Surprising all of the Slytherins and several Hufflepuffs as well, Hermione transfigured hers first, and hers was clearly the best by the end of class. Her canary was flying around the room singing and resisting Hermione's efforts in controlling it. She made a note of learning the summoning spell as soon as possible, even if it likely wouldn't be covered until later in the year in Charms class. Alice next to her had a perfect looking bird, but he couldn't fly because she had had trouble making the bones hollow. A few Slytherins had similar level of results. Many students seemed to still have rats with feathers or birds with rat tails.

"Ten points to Hufflepuff, Miss Smith. I am very glad to have you in my class," Professor McGonagall said at the end of class. Hermione treasured this as the Transfigurations professor did not give points out as freely as some teachers did.

Classes continued in a predictable manner, with Hermione standing out in this time about as much as she did in her own. All of the Hufflepuffs were very nice to her though. Several started asking her for help on assignments, which she never minded so long as she had time for her own work. She loved when other students respected her intellect enough to ask for her help, so long as they did not simply expect to copy her work. She didn't find much time for library research for her time traveling problem, but it was almost hard not to be content sometimes in this new time.

Throughout the week she didn't talk to Remus again, but she would catch him watching her sometimes, and she clearly watched him as well. She had taken to sitting on the side of the table that faced the Gryffindor table, and he would almost always sit on the side that faced Hufflepuff, though she told herself it was probably just coincidence.

*****Remus*****

Remus was noticing the same actions in Jean. He sat facing her at meals whenever his friends hadn't specifically saved a seat for him on the other side of the table. He didn't want to act differently or explain himself for watching the new, younger girl. Sometime he would smile at her when their eyes met. He told himself that it was only natural to be friendly to the new girl who was still relatively alone in a strange place. And maybe his friends were right and he deserved a little happiness. Perhaps he should try to have another friendly conversation soon.

*****Hermione*****

Overall, this first week was very good for Hermione. People were nice and her classes were very educational. All of her teachers were nice to her and seemed to realize that she was gifted. Hermione hoped that this wouldn't cause trouble for her later, but tried to push that thought away. Professor Dumbledore would somehow take care of her not being recognized later. Since Hermione Halloween of her first year, she had tried to resist the arrogance that came from being praised constantly for her brains and her achievements. She had over time managed to almost completely grow out of that annoying eleven and twelve-year-old self, but it still felt incredibly good to have teachers' praises. She was beginning to settle into this year like any other. Though she still wanted to go home to see all of her friends, staying here for a while would not be too bad.

**A/N: So this chapter took a while because I had no idea what questions to ask and have Hermione answer. I've written lots of cool scenes while waiting that need to be polished out into chapters now. I wanted to update a bit early (I try to shoot for updating every weekend) because I'm going out of town for the weekend. Happy reading, and please review! I just edited it later when I read that Professor Kettleburn had already lost limbs by the time Dumbledore was headmaster. So I changed it just a bit to be a bit more accurate.**


	8. Chapter 8 Unpleasantness

Chapter 8- Unpleasantness

…_She had over time managed to almost completely grow out of that annoying eleven and twelve-year-old self, but it still felt incredibly good to have teachers' praises. She was beginning to settle into this year like any other. Though she still wanted to go home to see all of her friends, staying here for a while would not be too bad._

Hermione knew that she shouldn't be such a know-it-all, just asking to be noticed and remembered, since she still didn't have any sort of plan yet to not let the entire world know that she had time traveled once eleven year old Hermione Granger came to Hogwarts. Not being any part of yourself was difficult though. It was bad enough to not have friends and family around, and to be surrounded by future victims and even future followers of Voldemort. Surely answering a few questions in class here and there couldn't really hurt anything? And Hermione would die before she submitted a homework assignment not done to her full capability. She had actually really enjoyed her first week of school, falling into similar patterns and routines as any other school year, with the marked absence of her customary friends.

"Watch where you're going, Mudblood," came a harsh voice that matched the owner's sneering face. Lucius Malfoy almost cracked a disdainful smile. Hermione also noticed Severus Snape there as well, expressionless as if he didn't even see her or notice any conflict. Hermione was still trying not to call him Professor Snape in her head, though she had adjusted to calling Remus by his first name instantly. Behind the two older boys was also a third, younger boy, short with dark hair, perhaps a third year. He seemed positively eager to see the situation Hermione found herself in.

"I was watching," Hermione responded with the only thing she could think to say. This was mostly true. She had been walking down the hall while reading, but the hall were vacant and she knew them well enough. However, she had perfected walking and reading at the same time at an early age before she had friends to be with while walking.

Lucius was more observant than his son, and with more of a dangerous feel about him. "You prance about and blather on very confidently for such a fresh… face. You should learn your place," he said in a voice that would be a growl if it weren't so sophisticated.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Hermione feigned more confidence than she felt. She was very aware of the reality of three older boys around her and her wand was somewhere in her robe's pockets. Even though he was young, the small dark haired boy already had his wand ready, and he looked threatening.

"There are too many mudbloods around here who think they are as good as their betters. I hear you think you are something special because you have read a few books. I assure you that you are not," he sneered again, arrogance dripping from his tongue. "It would be a shame for you to come to some… unpleasantness."

"I can look after myself, thank you very much," she said, fingering her wand in her pocket, wondering what she could possibly do in reality. She needed to learn far more before facing something like this. This was more Harry's strength with hers and it was taking all her courage not to panic before these three students.

"That's what you think," piped up the younger boy, earning him glares from both Malfoy and Snape.

"Regulus, you were not given permission to speak," Lucius reprimanded. Turning back to her, he said, "Girl, you should have been with the worthless lions. Foolhardy lot. I will generously keep an eye out for you. It wouldn't do for a new student to lose their way and come to trouble. Have a pleasant day, Miss Smith." With that, Lucius continued on his path wherever he had been going, the other two boys following behind, though Snape with his customary bat-like grace of sorts, and the younger boy scurrying to not be left out.

Lucius Malfoy had a way of saying almost pleasant words in the most terrifying way, showing the malice underneath.

Hermione thought about what had happened trying not to let it affect her. People had been rude and sometimes even cruel to her for being a good student ever since she was in muggle grade school. This seemed more sinister though coming from the mouth of Lucius Malfoy.

She walked into her dorm and plopped down on her bed. The other girls except for Ashton were already there as well, chatting about something. They turned and smiled at her before seeing her troubled face.

Before any of them asked anything Hermione asked her own question, "What do you know about Lucius Malfoy?"

Rebekah, often the first to answer any question piped up, "He's a piece of work, one you should stay clear of. His is an old pureblood family with lots of connections with the ministry. He is the last heir of his family, I believe. His father was an only child as well. He's engaged to Narcissa Black, another Slytherin seventh year. I hear the families arranged the marriage but neither of them mind. They get along well enough. She's a nasty bit herself, complete with blond hair that's just got to be fake." Rebekah was an endless source of personal information and gossip.

Alice looked uncomfortable at the topic and shifted in her seat on her bed.

The normally very quiet Kate Morrow spoke up, "Everyone thinks he's going to follow You-Know-Who if he doesn't already. No one says anything though, because they are rich and powerful, but the whole family believes the same things You-Know-Who does. They think muggleborns shouldn't be here and shouldn't' even be treated like humans," the quiet girl finished.

Kate had been a bit of a mystery to Hermione. Sometimes Hermione found herself almost forgetting about her. The quiet girl certainly didn't seem to be aggressive enough to play quidditch despite apparently having been a very skilled chaser since her second year. Now Hermione saw her quiet determination and strength. She remembered hearing that Kate was a muggleborn like herself, something that seemed like it was harder to be in this time. "Thanks for telling me," Hermione answered.

The young woman smiled, "No problem, Jean, you're one of us now," she said, making Hermione smile as well.

Alice spoke up at last, "Frank didn't want me to say anything that might get me in trouble, but he thinks Lucius is already a Death Eater, and the same with several other Slytherins, maybe Narcissa, but definitely her older sister Bellatrix. She graduated when we were first years. He wants to track all of them down as an auror, and I will to," Alice finished almost defiantly.

"Why do you ask about him, Jean?" Rebekah questioned after a long pause while they considered the gravity of what had been said.

Hermione sighed, "He and a few cronies were mean to me in the hall about answering questions right in class. It wasn't too bad though. He said I needed to learn my place, but he didn't do anything about it." This snapped the other girls back to the situation at hand.

"This is serious. You shouldn't go anywhere alone for a while, okay Jean? We're here for you, and so is the rest of Hufflepuff. Strength in numbers and all that. Those guys aren't people to mess with," Alice warned.

Hermione agreed a bit reluctantly, though she knew it was a wise decision.

"I'm sure _Remus Lupin_ wouldn't mind keeping you safe," came Rebekah's voice, breaking the somber mood. "And I think that Sirius Black might be a bit interested in you as well. Leave a few out there for the rest of us!" she teased.

Hermione only groaned in response at her roommate's ludicrous ideas and went to straighten her belongings around her bed. In fact, it almost seemed like Remus had been avoiding her lately. It might feel like a long stay here at this rate. Maybe she should be in more of a rush to go home. Everything was so much more normal there.

**A/N: I actually wrote this chapter (with only minor later modifications) before writing the last two chapters. It just came to me. I wanted to explore some Slytherin characters. Hermione doesn't know much about them- she doesn't know who Regulus is at all, but I thought it would be a very interesting scene. You'll learn a bit more later too. I like throwing in bits of knowledge from later cannon that Hermione wouldn't be familiar with but that readers would be. Please leave feedback.**


	9. Chapter 9 Research

Chapter 9- Research

_Hermione only groaned in response at her roommate's ludicrous ideas and went to straighten her belongings around her bed. In fact, it almost seemed like Remus had been avoiding her lately. It might feel like a long stay here at this rate. Maybe she should be in more of a rush to go home. Everything was so much more normal there._

That weekend again found Hermione in the library, looking more urgently for a way home. Most of this did not seem very promising, but it was probably already outdated information. Time turners were only perfected a few years ago in this time, and little was really known about them by those outside of the Department of Mysteries.

Not much of use could be found in the Hogwarts library, though the Headmaster said that he would leave a few extra books there for her. He would do his own research as well, trying to talk to people. Even the great Professor Dumbledore could not learn everything from the Unspeakables, or at least he could not learn it very quickly. True to their name, they were a rather tight-lipped group.

After two hours, Hermione did find one passage that looked interesting. It read:

_Some researchers in the Department of Mysteries are allegedly working on time travel spanning years instead of hours or days. Going back should be theoretically no harder than current time travel, but a return trip back to the current time would be desired as well. Some theorize that so long as the time traveler did not make a major change to the past, this return trip should be entirely possible. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement is reportedly providing partial funding for this project as a way for brief, controlled visits backwards to observe historical moments and to aid in ascertaining truth in court cases. We can only speculate most of this because very little true information leaves those secretive halls._

Hermione ignored the last line in the paragraph, not wanting her happiness to be dampened. She had hoped for simply a way to move forward, but she was still excited by this passage, the first remotely promising information that she had come across in hours of reading. She needed to talk to Dumbledore. Perhaps if these techniques were perfected, someone could come here to get here. There were so many variables though, such as whether they could travel back this far, and whether an additional person could be added for the return trip.

Regardless, it was not worth worrying over now and she should go talk to Professor Dumbledore.

Hermione began packing away the parchment and quill she had been using. She carefully marked her place in the important book with a small scrap of parchment, and she began to put away some of the books that had been no help to her and that were still strewn across the table that she always used in the library if it was not already occupied.

Hermione hear a sound close behind her. She did not even look around before huffing, "I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself." Hermione turned and then actually caught sight of Remus, "Oh sorry, Remus, I thought you were one of my roommates. I love them, but they've taken to following me around all the time to make sure I don't get into trouble or something."

"You don't strike me as the troublesome sort," Remus commented, somewhat amused. "Do they have reason to suspect you of something?"

"Nothing like that. Someone was just not very nice to me and it has them worried," Hermione explained vaguely.

Remus immediately lost his grin, "Who was it and what did they say?"

Hermione sighed, "Lucius Malfoy and company, and they were just mad that I answered some questions correctly. They told me to remember my place, or something along those lines."

"Did they threaten you?" Remus asked.

"Basically, yes, but it's nothing. I just won't raise my hand as much… I guess. I don't know. Maybe I won't," she fought with herself. "I'll report them to a professor if anything else happens."

"Sometimes that isn't enough. You need to look after yourself. Lucius is not one to underestimate, I think. Who else was with him?"

Hermione sighed, "Snape and someone they called Regulus. Snape just stood there though, and Regulus was like a child in a candy store, but I don't think he's one to worry about." Remus seemed to have winced at the mention of the younger boy. "What?" Hermione asked.

"Just don't talk like that around Sirius," he sighed. "I mean, it isn't a secret, but it's not something Sirius likes to admit…"

"What?" Hermione asked again, curious and a bit impatient.

"That was Regulus Black, Sirius's little brother," Remus explained.

"Oh," was all Hermione said.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want you to mention anything around him. Sirius rather hates almost all of his family. He has one cousin that he still likes- she was a Ravenclaw who graduated a while ago, but the rest of the family is Slytherin through and through, and the worst of the lot of them. I think Sirius hoped Regulus would be different like he was. They got along as kids, but Regulus started hanging out with the wrong crowd, so to speak, and everything went sour. Just don't mention him," Remus finished.

"Thanks for telling me," Hermione said in a low voice.

"No problem. None of that was a secret or anything, like I said. Sirius just doesn't like talking about family. He doesn't live with them anymore though. He stayed at James's house for most of the summer, and he's going with James for Christmas too. Happiest I've seen him to be free of them," Remus finished with a smile.

Hermione smiled back at Remus. She loved how they were talking so easily together. All thoughts of visiting the headmaster had completely left her mind, at least for the moment.

**A/N: I know this was a short chapter, and I'm very sorry, but it was a pretty fast update ****. More will start happening soon. I need to plan some more intermediate actions. Keep any and all suggestions coming. I obviously can't do all of them, but I listen to all of them and I love reading them. I've got some more planned, but I'm always looking for more.**


	10. Chapter 10 Wolf

Chapter 10– Wolf

_Hermione smiled back at Remus. She loved how they were talking so easily together. All thoughts of visiting the headmaster had completely left her mind, at least for the moment._

Hermione made it to see Dumbledore the next day.

"Here's a passage I found, sir" Hermione spoke up, and handed her headmaster the book she had found open to the relevant page.

"Thank you, Miss Smith. I must say, your arrival has led to a more exciting academic pursuit than I have had in years. There are people who want to block that pursuit very frustratingly, but we will find a way," he said with the customary twinkle in his eye.

"How long do you think I'll be here, sir?" Hermione asked, not really sure what she wanted the answer to be.

"That, I cannot say. You should just try to enjoy your time here for the time being. Doubtless you can learn as much here as you could in your time."

She was really learning a lot in her classes, though she felt less prepared than usual because she had not had time to read her textbooks twice over the summer as she usually did. She was doing her best to catch up to her standards though. She hadn't just missed a week of class- she had missed her summer of preparation. It was nice that Remus always seemed to be there if she needed help, though honestly she usually didn't need any. Her housemates would have helped, of course, but she found herself in the library more often than not, and Remus was around almost as often as she was. September passed into early October without any real incidents.

Remus was working quite hard on his own studying. His favorite class was Defense Against the Dark Arts, and he was often the best in his year in it, a definite feat considering the talent in Gryffindor in his year alone. And, as loath as Sirius and James were to admit it, Severus Snape and several other students were very talented as well.

The sixth years had just been shown perhaps the most interesting piece of magic that Remus had ever seen, and he was determined to master it- the patronus charm. Their teacher didn't really expect them to succeed, and it was considered advanced spellwork, but Remus knew how important it could be. Young Remus had met a Dementor once and it was one of the worst things he had ever experienced.

He had been a little boy going with his father to the Ministry a few weeks after that horrid night that he had been bitten. Remus hadn't even changed the first time yet, but he already knew what awaited him. He had to be registered as a werewolf, and even then young Remus knew a little of what being on that registry meant for his life. It was almost scarier than turning into a wolf. The man who talked to them claimed that no one would know unless they looked up his file. Remus didn't like the man though, and he clearly didn't think much of young Remus.

He had heard his father cry that he would never get to go to Hogwarts or be like any of the other young wizards and witches. He had never seen his father cry before that awful night. The young boy hadn't even started thinking about a career yet, but that would be too much to dream of now.

He walked down the hall at the ministry clutching his father's hand. The entire room went cold and Remus saw two aurors and a man in chains between them, the aurors clearing the way as they walked. Something that definitely wasn't a man but had on a black robe hovered around the three men. Remus now knew must have been a Death Eater from the court room out of the Ministry to be taken to Azkaban, but he still couldn't help feeling sorry for anyone who had to be so close to those dreaded things.

As the thing got closer though, Remus could only think of himself. The running, the panting, the screaming, the pain. It made him relive being bitten, and perhaps even worse, he relived the rejection that followed. At first even his father, whom Remus had never seen afraid before, had seemed afraid of him at first, as if Remus would turn around and bite him too. So many tears; horrors too great to utter. He had to relive it all.

Remus couldn't stand those creatures. He feared them almost as much as he feared the moon until he learned that with this charm, he could fight off a dementor if he ever met one again. This fear was something he could overcome if he could defeat the beast. He knew that they were supposed to protect wizards by keeping the criminals locked up, but Remus privately felt that they were better off with the criminals. He wouldn't live his life in fear though, or at least in any more fear than he could help.

So Remus began spending more time in abandoned classrooms practicing when he wasn't spending time with the Marauders or wandering around the library.

"Expecto Patronum!" he yelled, concentrating on the memory of Professor Dumbledore telling him that he could come to Hogwarts. This was one of his very best memories, and he thought it usually helped him get the closest to a real patronus. He could dependably make the white mist come from his wand, though that alone drained him quickly.

Remus refused to give up. One more try for now, he told himself. He felt that he was close, but he just couldn't quite make it happen.

Having an idea, he tried concentrating on more than just one memory. He thought of his three best friends, the other marauders. He thought of them becoming animagi to be with him in his hardest hours. Surely those memories would be the best thoughts to drive away the darkness. His friends made his whole life, and particularly those horrible nights, infinitely better. Little bits of the rest of his Hogwarts life mixed in as well, like Frank Longbottom whom Remus had looked up to so much for years. A few teachers' proud faces, and a few smiles and glances from the new girl, Jean Smith. "Expecto Patronum!" he finally yelled.

To Remus's surprise and delight, an almost solid looking form came out of his wand, more ran out really. Remus was overjoyed until the creature turned around.

A wolf.

Remus felt sick. Wasn't a patronus charm about protection? How could something in him have given him _that_ as the very symbol of protection? Was such a large part of him really a beast? He stumbled back to his dorm not at all proud as he should have been for mastering one of the most difficult pieces of magic shown at Hogwarts.

Sirius saw him walk in. "Cheer up Remus, you'll get it eventually. No one else's gotten it, and most people don't even care."

Remus had confided in his best friends a few days ago about what he had been doing in empty classrooms for so long. He had told Jean what he was doing as well. None of them knew why it mattered to him so much though.

"I did it," Remus said, not really knowing what he wanted to say.

"You cast a patronus charm? A corporeal-or-whatever one?" Sirius asked, excitedly, though he was confused by his friend's expression.

"Yeah," he said, pausing and not looking at Sirius's confused face as he considered what to say.

"It's Moony," Remus explained, using his nickname, which was also code for his werewolf form.

Sirius winced, somewhat understanding his friend's feelings. "That's still- _really_ great though," he offered.

"Your patronus is a werewolf?" Peter spoke up for the first time. Remus had hardly noticed he was there. James wasn't in the room. He was doing homework with Lily most likely. The marauders were still very close, but they were spending more time apart now.

"Well, I think it's just a normal wolf. It doesn't show the werewolf signs that I could tell," he said, feeling a slight bit better, "But still…"

"It doesn't matter. That's amazing, Remus. First of our year in defense, like always," he said, feeling that calling Remus by his nickname at this moment was not the best idea.

Remus wasn't always first, and Sirius himself was always close to the top, but Sirius was a good friend just trying to make him feel better.

"I just need some time," Remus said. "I think I'm going to go to the library," he said, wondering if he wanted to run into Jean or not. "Thanks, by the way," he said, looking at his two friends in the room and walking to the library lost in thought. He was halfway to the library before he realized that he hadn't even grabbed any of his assignments to take with him.

He walked to the library and over to the table that Jean usually sat at, seeing her there like he supposed he was hoping for, though he was only halfway sure he wanted to be near anyone at all.

She looked up and smiled when she saw him. He had come to do his homework beside her often the past few weeks. Always the quick observer, she noticed that he did not carry any books today and he didn't look very sure of himself standing there.

"How are you, Remus?" Hermione asked.

"I cast a corporeal patronus," Remus answered, because he wasn't really sure how to answer her real question.

"Really? That's great!" Hermione replied, wondering if maybe his expression was just from not liking to brag about himself, but it seemed like more than that. "What form did it take?"

Remus looked down at his feet, trying to not act completely abnormal, "A wolf."

"Oh," Hermione instantly knew what was wrong and almost got up to give him a hug, but stopped herself. She tried to act as a normal person who didn't know anything unusual about Remus would, "That's really cool," she said, wincing after saying the first thing that came to her mind. She wasn't sure what else she could have said that would have seemed more normal though.

Remus opened his mouth and closed twice before saying anything. "I don't- like wolves," he finally said. "I mean," he said, trying to not sound odd, "I don't even really like dogs."

He paused while Hermione tried to think of what to say, but she couldn't speak. He finally elaborated, "One… bit me, when I was younger. That didn't sound like the real truth at all, but it was the closest that Remus had come to telling anyone about being bitten. Sirius, Peter, and James had figured it out by themselves and finally confronted him about it. He wasn't ready for another confrontation like that, even though that one had been years ago now, but it was wonderful to have their acceptance.

"I've always liked wolves," Hermione said, making Remus snap his head up from his feet.

Hermione continued, "I had a little stuffed wolf that I got when I was five. I slept with him every night, and he would protect me from the monsters I imagined in my closet and under the bed," she explained, and then added, "His name was Wolfy."

"Wolfy?" Remus asked, a hint of a smile touching his face, and a quiet chuckle escaped.

"Hey! I was only five at the time and thought it was perfect. My dog tore him apart when I was eleven though, the summer before going to H- St. Anne's," Hermione covered, hoping he hadn't noticed.

She continued, thinking quickly, grasping at something to say, "And when I was ten I read the book _Julie of the Wolves_ which became my favorite book at the time." She rambled, "It's about a girl who runs away and lives with wolves, and she watches them grow and survive and everything." She winced again internally wondering if the book was even written by this point in time, much less a few years before when she was supposedly ten. Improvising was still not her strength. She told herself that Remus would not know or care about muggle books, particularly about one written by an American muggle for younger girls.

"I'm sure it's a nice story, but wolves aren't like that," He sighed, knowing it sounded silly to be worked up over a patronus form if you didn't know that he was a werewolf. "They are ferocious beasts."

"They are territorial and defend their pack, even to the death. Noble beasts," Hermione countered.

He smiled, giving in, perhaps just to not fight, "I love how you always see the bright side of things. It rubs off on me a bit I think," he finished, blushing furiously after he said it.

Hermione braved, "Well, I'll just have to be sure to spend more time with you then."

"Jean?" he asked, sounding a bit awkward after their strange but almost comfortable conversation. "The guys are throwing me a birthday party next Hogsmead weekend. I'm the first of the Marauders to turn seventeen, and they seem to want to make a big deal of it. Would you like to come?" He rushed, continuing, "I'm sure Frank is bringing Alice." He hoped she wouldn't think him strange for asking.

"I'd love to," Hermione answered with a smile.

A matching smile lit up his face. "Well, I'll see you then, I suppose..." he said, glancing at the door.

"Yeah, and I'm sure I'll see you around before then," she laughed. "We seem to meet in the library a lot." This was certainly becoming true. And if perhaps both were coming here more often than they usually would, neither let themselves think much of it.

"Yeah," he replied, "I'll see you around. And thanks," again he was being vague. He was inwardly thanking her for thinking well of wolves, however foolish those thoughts were, and even though she didn't know why it meant so much to him. Surely she didn't know.

He began to walk away but turned around quickly, "Hey, when's your birthday?"

"September 29th," Hermione said without really thinking much about it. She had barely noticed when the date passed, and she wondered if it could really be considered her birthday anyway after all of her time traveling through the year and then this whole mess. It was probably pretty close to accurate after she lost the summer to make up for the extra hours she spent during the school year, she thought.

Remus frowned. "You let everyone miss it," he said. We would have done something for you."

"Oh, it's fine, really. I don't like all the attention."

"It's that's just not right though, for people to not celebrate your birthday."

"Remus," she half whined, "Don't make a big deal, please. I don't want a party or gifts or anything. I don't like the attention, and I'd just be homesick." She wasn't sure why she cared so much, but she didn't want this attention. It was too close to her real self to celebrate a birthday.

He chuckled, "I don't want it either to be honest, but I know three young men who are very insistent. They'll be trying their best to get me drunk that night, because I never have anything stronger than butterbeer with them."

He still hadn't promised her and hoped he wouldn't have to. "Remus?" she was practically begging for people to not pay attention to her for some reason. She seemed even more against it then Remus was for himself.

He sighed, "I won't tell anyone, okay? But you should."

"I just don't like being noticed," she maintained. She looked relieved and happy though.

He chuckled, "Well then not being noticed is finally something you don't do well. I'd say a fair portion of the school already knows how brilliant you are. All of the fourth years for sure, and word gets around. And we don't get new students very often- I don't think I've ever heard of one before you. So you were doomed to be interesting from the first day," he finished with a smile.

Hermione blushed and hoped that she wasn't being reckless with the fragile balance of the future in her hand.

**A/N: I'm happy with this one. **** Honestly I'm pretty happy with the whole thing. I've thought about throwing in some Remus flashbacks, but I'm not sure. Suggestions are welcome. I'm trying to piece together thoughts on the night Remus was bitten. Thanks to everyone to your support. Please review. I answer each review personally, and they mean a lot to me. It is midterm week coming up, and I should really be studying instead of editing this right now, but I love this so much. Some loving reviews would be especially appreciated.**


	11. Chapter 11 Remus's Birthday

Chapter 11– Remus's Birthday

_Hermione blushed and hoped that she wasn't being reckless with the fragile balance of the future in her hand._

Remus's actual birthday came and went without much fanfare, but everyone looked forward to the weekend when they would celebrate. It wasn't a Hogwarts weekend, but that wasn't an obstacle for the Marauders.

"Now," James spoke with the tone of an actor, "I'm swearing all of you to secrecy about this. We normally don't share our secrets, but this is a special occasion. You have all been deemed trustworthy."

Everyone present nodded in assent, excitement running high. Hermione knew why they were standing in this abandoned hallway on the first floor of course, because it concealed one of the hidden exits out of the castle. Many of the group didn't seem to know the secret though. This passage was actually closed by her day, which she had heard the Weasley twins mourn over, because this path actually let out in a field outside of Hogsmead instead of into the basement of Honeydukes like the best passage in their day did. It was difficult to not look suspicious coming from a company's basement, and not every trickster had an invisibility cloak.

Lily raised an eyebrow at James when he whispered the password that none of them could hear and a large hole appeared in the wall. She looked slightly disapproving but rolled her eyes and finally smiled with a slight shake of her head.

James gave a little bow and held his hand out, gesturing for Lily to proceed. Lily went through the entrance with a glance back at him, and she was quickly followed by another Gryffindor girl from her year who was apparently her friend and a girl Sirius had his eye on. (Apparently he and his last girlfriend who had gotten together over the summer didn't last more than two weeks of actually spending significant amounts of time together.)

All of them entered the passage, the two Gryffindor girls, Frank and Alice, Hermione, and the Marauders. If anyone thought that Hermione's presence was strange, no one said anything about it. Hermione herself wasn't sure what to think.

Hermione fell into step behind Frank and Alice. She had met him in passing before and he had seemed like a nice young man. He apparently was something of a big brother to many Gryffindors, and had always looked out for the Marauders, perhaps not always approving of their actions completely but enjoying some of their fun.

"It's nice to see you again, Jean," Frank said, holding out his hand, which was somewhat difficult while he walked forward in the somewhat narrow passageway.

Hermione almost didn't react to her assumed name, a problem she hadn't had in weeks. She was struck by how much the handsome young man in front of her still somehow strongly resembled her pudgy faced friend. She had a passing thought wondering what Neville would grow up to look like, though she tried to never judge on looks, knowing or at least thinking that her own were far from perfect. The hair treatments certainly helped though. "Oh, yes, thank you. It's nice to see you as well," she said, after perhaps a bit too long of a pause, shaking his hand with hers, "Uh, interesting passage here, isn't it?"

"Yes, those boys always have a few tricks up their sleeves. They've shown me this one before actually. I'm quite glad that it isn't my night to do patrols," he said a bit sheepishly.

Hermione knew that was a fine line to walk between authority and friendship. She had often wondered what she would do when she became a prefect, as she was sure she would be in her fifth year. Remus seemed to do alright. Hermione somehow didn't think badly of him for not doing anything about the rules they broke.

"The girls are already saying that you'll probably be our prefect," Alice said mildly. Hermione hoped her new friend wasn't jealous, but she didn't seem to be. Hermione had not considered how she was disrupting the dynamics of her house. She certainly did not expect to be here for fifth year, but it wasn't something she really tried to think much about either way anymore, if she were honest with herself.

"Oh, no, I'm sure they wouldn't do that. I would feel so bad," Hermione apologized.

Alice laughed, "Never feel bad for who you are. You're great, and we're glad to have you, Jean," Alice said with a genuine smile.

So many of the Hufflepuffs were so nice to her. If Hermione were to admit it, she was not even sure that she could name a single Hufflepuff outside of her year back home, and she knew she probably only knew the ones in her year because she kept a rough idea of most people's grade standing if she could. Even now she didn't spend much time with her dorm mates except at meals and classes. Those were always enjoyable though. Hermione walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence, thinking over her past and present.

They walked into the Three Broomsticks, looking remarkably like how Hermione remembered it. Rosmerta was even behind the bar. She didn't look much older than a Hogwarts student, but she didn't look even ten years older in Hermione's time. She still caught the attention of many a teenage boy. Beauty magic was not something that Hermione spent a great deal of time looking into, but Rosmerta must have been quite skilled at it or spent a great deal on potions and charms.

Sirius certainly seemed taken by her charm, or perhaps he just wanted to ensure that their age wouldn't be questioned. He walked straight over to the bar for a chat. He certainly seemed to be flirting. He pushed out his chest and messed with his hair absently as he talked with her.

Whatever the motive, it had a desirable effect as Sirius met them over at their table with several bottles of what looked suspiciously like firewhiskey. The only one who didn't look very happy was Lily's friend. She looked a bit more pleased when Sirius handed her a glass.

"It's something special when the first one of our own comes of age, and we have to do things right," Sirius spoke. "You have to by the way Remus- no other options here." Hermione noticed Lily's slight glare out of the corner of her eyes

Remus was handed a rather full glass of firewhiskey, and he accepted it without protest, though his expression could not be called eager. They all watched as he took a gulp, wincing as it went down.

Sirius let out a whoop and half shouted, "For all of you lot, get whatever you want. James and I are throwing this, and drinks are on us!" The party commenced with everyone talking and ordering their own drinks if they didn't just want some of the firewhiskey. Hermione stuck to butterbeer, as did Lily, but Hermione saw Alice drinking from Frank's drink a few times and he didn't seem to mind, his arm wrapped around her in a way that made Hermione jealous for no real reason.

Hermione learned a few new things about Remus. "Remus was my first real friend," Sirius said after about the first glass of firewhiskey. We met on the train. I'd actually already run into James, and the twat wouldn't speak to me because I was a Black."

James look apologetic, "Sorry mate, what can I say? I'd only met one of your cousins before, and she was a right hag. I think I've apologized enough by now."

"'S'alright mate. But anyway, Remus is a nice bloke, even when he tries to spoil the fun," Sirius said, clapping Remus on the back probably rougher than he intended.

The night continued somewhat predictably. Hermione spoke to everyone, but mostly to Alice and Frank, cursing her own shyness. There were laughs and stories shared. Peter seemed particularly bad at holding his liquor and James took to standing next to him, likely to make sure he didn't let slip anything important.

As Hermione was beginning to get tired, Remus appeared at her side. She had not spent as much time with him this evening as she would have liked, though she saw Remus looking at her more often as the night went on.

"Hey," he said, "I have something for you. Would you take a walk with me?" he finished rather quickly and quietly.

"Sure," Hermione smiled.

They walked out of the door and a bit away from the pub in silence. No one seemed to be watching them go, though it seemed like the Marauders were almost too intentionally facing away from the exit and drawing attention elsewhere. Perhaps she was just looking too hard for something strange, Hermione told herself.

"So," Hermione broke the silence, "It doesn't seem like they got you to drink as much as they had hoped. You seem pretty normal," Remus seemed completely sober, at least to Hermione.

"Yeah," he said, looking at his feet. "I had a bit. It's alright, I guess. Just not really for me. I… have a thing with being in control of myself. I don't really like the feeling of not being in control. I don't think they even noticed when I switched to hot chocolate."

Hermione smiled thinking of Remus and his well-known love of chocolate. She searched for something to say, "It's a nice night, isn't it?" she said, hating that she couldn't think of anything more interesting to say.

Remus didn't seem to mind. "Yeah, it is," he sighed. "I- uh- have something for you. I know you don't want a big deal made about your birthday, but it didn't seem right for you not to get at least one present from someone here. Close your eyes."

Hermione tried to calm herself. She wondered for a brief moment if he was about to kiss her.

"Hold out your hands so I can give it to you," he said, expectantly. Of course he didn't want to kiss her.

She held out her hand and felt something fuzzy being placed in them. "Sorry I didn't wrap it," he said. "Open your eyes."

It was almost too dark to see outside after almost all the buildings were closed. There was just enough light for her to see the little stuffed wolf in her hands.

"I remembered you telling me about the stuffed wolf you had, and I thought you might like it. What do you think?" he asked, looking at her feet. Maybe it was a silly, childish gift.

Hermione reached up and gave Remus a tight hug, shocking both of them seemingly. "He's perfect. He's looks a lot like I remember Wolfy. Except cleaner," she laughed. "I took Wolfy everywhere and would never let mum wash him, which wasn't like me normally. Thank you, I love him." She squeezed Remus again before releasing him, seemingly embarrassing both of them, but neither of them talked about it. They stood for several moments with neither of them speaking.

"I got him on my fifth birthday," Hermione offered. "I told my mum he was a gift from school so I could keep him, but really I found him outside in our back yard. My parents were very germ conscious, probably from being dentists and they wouldn't have let me had a toy that I didn't know where it came from. I never told them though. For years that was the biggest lie I ever told."

"Jean?" Remus started to say something but then stopped. Hermione hated her fake name then. Never before had she wanted to tell a secret so badly.

She didn't want to think about secrets or lies. That was too painful. "Well, maybe we should go back," Hermione offered, "We wouldn't want them to worry about us."

Remus chuckled, "Knowing my friends, Sirius probably got everyone to leave the moment we stepped out of the door." Hermione wondered at his statement.

He spoke again after a moment, "Jean?"

"Yes?" she answered, hating her middle name more each time it came from his mouth. She almost longed to hear her first name again, though she had never particularly liked or disliked her name in the past.

"Will you be in the library tomorrow?" he asked, disappointed in his own cowardice to ask what he really wanted.

"You know I practically live in the library. Why do you ask?" Hermione asked, wondering what he would say.

"I- I like studying with you," he bit his lip, knowing he shouldn't be this nervous talking to this girl nearly two years younger than he was.

Hermione smiled to herself, telling herself that she should still have some Gryffindor courage left. She took a step back towards him and slipped her hand into his, smiling up at him. "I like it too," she said.

Before Hermione had time to think about anything else she felt his other hand touch her cheek. This was soon followed by his lips touching hers, his lower lip still moist from his nervous biting. Too soon he pulled away, though he didn't pull his hand completely away from hers.

"Well, maybe we should go back before they leave," Remus said, seemingly not sure of herself.

Hermione gave his hand another tight squeeze before letting her hand drop. "That sounds great." She didn't know what to think, but she was happy.

They walked back in silence, but Hermione could tell that he kept glancing her during the short walk, just as she kept glancing at him. No one commented on their absence, but she wondered after a smile from Alice if they had really done unnoticed. She tried to smile back, hoping she didn't somehow look drastically different suddenly.

They mingled with everyone else for a few more minutes before James Potter said, "Are you guys ready to head back? I hate to ruin the party, but it is a bit late," he smiled apologetically. It was into the morning hours at that point.

Hermione suspected that this suggestion was purely thanks to Lily standing next to him looking very tired and her friend looking in a not particularly good mood. Perhaps something to do with Sirius still. Hermione didn't really care at the moment.

They all walked happily out of the pub, waving goodbye to Rosmerta as they left. They walked to the hidden passage and along its path, some members of their group swaying and stumbling more than others.

They quieted as they reached the end of the passage. "Do you girls want me to walk you back?" Frank asked. Remus looked at her, perhaps silently offering the same, though she couldn't tell and he didn't speak.

"We'll be fine. We're really close. Make sure you guys don't get caught," Alice assured him. Hermione nodded in agreement and Remus nodded in acceptance, giving Hermione a shy smile.

"There's no one between here and the Hufflepuff entrance, so you should be fine if you hurry," James Potter spoke up. No one questioned his knowledge. Hermione wasn't sure if the Marauder's map was common knowledge or not, but she wasn't going to say anything.

The group broke up, wishing each other tired (and some drunken) but happy goodbyes. Hermione and Alice walked back to the Hufflepuff dorms as quickly but silently as they could, just in case James Potter was wrong.

As they entered the common room, Hermione headed to their room, lost in thought. Her hand absently touched her lips. She could almost still feel his lips on hers. Her first kiss.

"Hey, don't think you're going to get away that easily."

**A/N: It's fall break! A whole week off! I made it through midterm week. Sorry this has been a while. I'm glad that I have some written ahead, or I never would have had something to put up this week- real life- ugh. But maybe I'll have lots of time to write this week ****. Now I'm sick (your reviews would make me feel better), but at least I got through midterms. That will be one thing I won't miss. This chapter took a while, and I'm really happy with parts of it, and not as happy with other parts. Tell me what you think. And thank you for all the lovely, kind reviews I had last week. They really helped me through midterms. I did get my first negative review though, which was sad, some anonymous reviewer spouting profanity about Hufflepuff. I never mind actual constructive critique though.**


	12. Chapter 12 Girl Talk, Guy Talk

Chapter 12- Girl Talk, Guy Talk

_As they entered the common room, Hermione headed to their room, lost in thought. Her hand absently touched her lips. She could almost still feel his lips on hers. Her first kiss._

"_Hey, don't think you're going to get away that easily."_

Hermione turned around to see Alice with her hands on her hips looking expectant. "What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"You know what I mean. You left with Remus Lupin for a full ten minutes, and I think I'll die if I don't find out what happened. This is girl time, and I would guess that you don't get enough of it. Please?" she practically begged.

"It's really late," Hermione almost whined in spite of herself, though part of her secretly wanted a friend to confide in.

Alice laughed, "I've seen you study later than this. You never sleep. Whereas I'll be near dead tomorrow, but these times are worth it. It's great to have some happiness that isn't tainted by the messed up world." Hermione rarely remembered the rising threat of You-Know-Who in this time, but she had seen two students get letters from home in the last month saying that someone had been killed or gone missing. Hermione didn't say anything for a few moments.

"So…" Alice prompted, "Come on, what happened. Girl talk. I need this. You need this. Please. It will just get later if you don't tell me now. Should I wake the other girls?" Hermione wasn't sure if that was supposed to be encouraging or a threat.

"He- uh, gave me a gift. A little stuffed animal. It was my birthday a while ago, and I don't like to make a big deal about things like that," Hermione admitted.

"Aaaawwwww, that's really sweet," Alice smiled, "But I think there's something else to-oo," Alice practically sang.

Hermione hadn't seen her friend drinking very much, but maybe she had if her giddiness was a clue, or maybe it was just lack of sleep. Hermione had never had many close female friends though, so maybe this was just how 'girl time' went. "He- kissed me," she said quietly and blushed.

Alice squealed, loudly enough that Hermione began to worry about waking people up, but that was probably mostly her embarrassment talking. When coherent word could be made out she said, "That's so great! He's really sweet. Frank really respects him," she finished on a calmer note.

"It's complicated," Hermione stated, a statement that she knew had rarely been truer.

"Oh… guy from your old school you're still pining for?" Alice guessed sympathetically.

"No, nothing like that," Hermione said. Though it sometimes seemed like the whole school was waiting to see whether she would date Harry or Ron, Hermione loved them as friends but could never imagine dating either of them. At least not until they matured significantly. Sometimes it seemed that boys were so young, though after the Lockheart fiasco she wondered if she was any better. That was years ago now though.

"Well, I'm tired, so I guess I won't pry more," Alice announced, "But I'm here whenever you want to talk. I'm sure whatever is worrying you isn't as big of a deal as you think it is. Thanks for telling me all of that. We should talk like this more often," she said with a smile and a more serious tone.

"Yeah, thanks. It was good to have someone to talk to," Hermione honestly confided with a smile. After a sudden though she said, "Sometime I want to hear all about you and Frank too." Alice smiled widely despite her tired expression. That was clearly a topic she enjoyed talking about. "I'm tired now too though," she yawned. "And I'm meeting Remus tomorrow morning in the library," she added with a smile at her friend.

Alice let out another, quieter squeal at that, and the two girls went off to bed.

Remus managed not to talk to any of his roommates until the next afternoon, probably mostly due to the varying degrees of drunkenness of his roommates. He walked into his dorm after spending the library quietly in the library with Jean and lunch with her afterwards. Weekend meals at Hogwarts were more casual with students sometimes sitting at different tables and people coming to the Great Hall whenever they were awake, except for Hogmeade weekends. The two of them didn't say anything about the night before; they didn't say much at all really, but they did sit closer together than usual, and their hands touched a few more times than necessary. Remus felt thirteen again instead of seventeen but he could not help being quite pleased with everything.

Apparently James and Sirius were just waking up when Remus walked in. "Good morning," James yawned, looking tired but mostly alright. Sirius looked considerably worse.

Remus laughed to himself, "It's actually afternoon." He walked over to Sirius, "And don't you look particularly lovely this morning," he smirked.

"Hey!" Sirius said, and then winced at his own loud voice. "I don't want to hear anything from you." He paused, "Unless you have some hangover potion, and then you can say whatever you want."

"Sorry Padfoot," Remus said, genuinely apologetic now, "No such luck." Remus was not the best at potions brewing anyway, though he could have managed that one. It wasn't a potion he had ever needed before though. Sirius could easily have prepared a hangover cure potion for himself if he had thought ahead.

Sirius half growled to himself and sighed. Then he said, "Hey, you should be the worst off. It was your birthday after all."

"I just don't do harmful things to my stomach and liver like you do. Where's Wormtail?" Remus asked, trying to divert the conversation away from his previous lack of drunkenness.

"Still asleep," Sirius answered. "He'll sleep through anything until it's all worn off, the lucky bastard," Sirius half spat out, not really having force behind it though.

"Padfoot…" Remus half reprimanded.

"Yeah, Moony, whatever. You were supposed to know what this bloody headache felt like, but we'll have to try again. My birthday isn't that far away," he said with a smile, starting to look a bit better.

James spoke up, "I would say Moony's self-control might have had something to do with a sweet little Hufflepuff, eh Padfoot?"

Sirius brightened more at that, "You don't say, Prongs? I seem to remember trying to find Moony to share a drink only to find that he had gone off somewhere with a cute fourth year."

Remus laughed, trying to divert again, "Are you sure you remember anything, Padfoot?"

"I remember this because I had to finish the bottle myself without you there. See, this awful headache is all _your_ fault," Sirius said, mostly good-naturedly.

"I didn't make you drink half the pub, Sirius. You always do that to yourself," Remus replied as Sirius huffed.

James cut in, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were stalling, Remus. You don't walk to talk about Jean Smith."

"What can I say? I like her, okay? A lot, I guess. I- kissed her," he said the last part softly, but it brought smiles to all three boys' faces, though Remus's face was also quickly turning an impressive shade of red.

All disagreements completely forgotten by now, Sirius tottered over and clapped Remus on the back. "You dog, Moony. Lucky dog. Aren't you glad you let us throw you that party?"

"Yeah, I suppose I am. Best party I've had in a long time. I just can't help but worry. I don't want to mess things up with Jean…" Remus said, turning somber.

"You'll be fine, Moony. Don't worry. And you know we're always there for you," James reassured his friend. "Now we should all get some breakfast or lunch or whatever it's time for."

"You go ahead; I already ate," Remus said, and he sat down to think, something he was spending more and more time doing lately.

**A/N: I'm sorry for not posting this sooner. Microsoft Word decided to not work on my computer for some reason, but luckily one of my friends could make it work. In this chapter I wanted to give some cannon characters some more screen time, so to speak. Hermione really needs some girl time- every girl needs some girl time sometimes. I'm thinking about how Alice and Frank might have gotten together, and I'll work it in if I can come up with something good. Suggestions are welcome. I hope people are still enjoying this. I really love your reviews.**


	13. Chapter 13 Finding the Truth

Chapter 13– Finding the Truth

"_You'll be fine, Moony. Don't worry. And you know we're always there for you," James reassured his friend. "Now we should all get some breakfast or lunch or whatever it's time for." _

"_You go ahead. I already ate," Remus said, and he sat down to think, something he was spending more and more time doing lately._

A few weeks passed since Remus's birthday party, and Remus had never been happier. They had started holding hands in the library while they read, which slowed both of them down but neither cared. They just spent more time sitting there to make up for it. Even the normally very studious Remus had never been more prepared for his classes, and he had never enjoyed it that much. They had also shared a few more brief kisses, usually after he walked her back to her dorm entrance under the guise of making sure she stayed safe from harm. No one had bothered her in weeks though.

"I still can't find her anywhere!" Remus let out, a bit exasperated. He had looked several times on the Marauders Map over the last few days trying to find Jean. Just to make sure she was okay when he wasn't there, he told himself. He was sitting on his bed while James and Sirius were working on something. Peter was off somewhere else on this Saturday, working on homework or some project.

James reasoned, "You must be just missing her sometimes, and most of the time she's probably in the Hufflepuff common room or her dorm. We still haven't been in there plot it for the map."

Sirius spoke up, "Or maybe Jean is just what she goes by and her first name is something awful. My family has so much more than its fair share of awful names that I consider myself lucky. I mean, 'Narcissa?' they were just asking her to be full of herself. And there must be over a dozen people with the last name "Smith" in the school."

"Maybe…" he thought, knowing he hadn't really looked for anyone but Jane. "Would it be alright if I kept the map for a day or two to figure it out?" he asked.

James sighed, "You know we'd never mind that- it's yours just as much as any of ours, but you could always just talk to her," he suggested. They knew the map belonged to all of them, but James and Sirius usually had it, probably because the Marauders never were up to mischief without one of them, and sometimes Peter and Remus didn't join in.

"Haha and say 'I can't find you on my magical map that I've been trying to watch you on that shows where everyone goes including all the almost all of the girls' bathrooms and most of the girls' dorms.' That doesn't sound wrong or anything," Remus laughed.

"It does sound a bit creepy when you say it like that," Sirius agreed, laughing back.

Peter walked in and saw Remus still pouring over the map, "What are you looking for?" he asked. 'Who' would have been the obvious question really, because the map did not show objects that weren't part of the castle.

"Jean Smith, of course," Sirius answered for Remus as Remus gave up looking and put the map away.

"Oooh," Peter laughed, "I wonder what you could be looking for her for," he teased.

Remus's face was very serious, "I've been thinking about telling her," Remus confided.

This had three shocked faces turning towards Remus.

"About your… problem?" James asked for clarification.

Remus nodded, not really looking at anyone.

"Woah," was all Sirius could say, and Peter just remained silent.

"Yeah," Remus said, looking at his feet. "I mean, I'll probably lose the nerve… but I think I should. I couldn't even tell you three though, and I thought I should for a year before you finally told me you knew. I tried, but I just never worked up the courage."

"You really like this one, don't you?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Yeah, I think I do," Remus replied.

"Well, I say go for it. She seems like a nice one," Sirius said with a smile, clapping Remus on the back.

James looked less sure, but he agreed, "We're all behind whatever you want to do." Peter nodded in agreement silently. James was already thinking of ways to control the situation if Jean reacted badly. Deep down he actually thought that there was a good chance that she would be okay though, after the initial shock. In fact, if she was as smart as people said she was, she might already suspect that something is not right with Remus.

"Thanks," Remus said, smiling. He then sighed though, "Honestly I'd also like to find her to make sure everything's okay. I know that no one's bothered her in a while, but I just want to be sure. I'll look for her later though. I'm going to go work on some things in the library."

"Ugh, I'll pass. I thought you just hung out there to be with girls," said Sirius.

"Yeah," chimed in Peter, agreeing is protest of homework, even though he himself had been working on homework moments before.

"Well, believe it or not, I'm actually caught up on my work," James said with a hint of pride.

"Yeah, how is Lily?" Sirius teased, knowing why James was already done with his homework. He'd taken to doing it next to Lily in the common room. They usually didn't talk much, but it was a positive interaction at least. Lily's friends who had always done their work there as well were making themselves scarce far more often now, perhaps hoping for the same thing that James was.

Remus left, smiling at his friends as he went. He wiped the map and tucked it into his pocket before he left the room.

Hermione Granger sat in the library thinking over the last few weeks. She tried not to think about how strange this entire situation was. She was practically dating the man who would become her teacher. She was even kissing her teacher, and she didn't want to do anything to change the situation. A large part of her didn't want to go home at all, which just made her feel guilty. She felt guilty often actually. She and Remus had begun to talk to each other a lot, and she tried to avoid lying when at all possible, but she found herself having to lie more often than not.

Remus walked in and smiled when he saw her, but he gave her an odd look as well, curious perhaps. He gestured that he was going over to the shelves and would be back. Hermione hardly noticed as he was shifting books in his arms as he walked to free a hand to dig into his robes pocket.

Less than a minute later though he was standing in front of her with no new books in his arms. Hermione knew something was wrong but wasn't sure what.

"Why-" Remus started with an unreadable face and then seemed to think better of it. "I think I need to talk to you somewhere," he said.

"Okay," Hermione said, trying not to show worry on her face and packing up her books in her bag, following him out of the library. After they left he didn't even look back to make sure she was still following him.

He led her into one of the many unused classrooms around the castle and surprised her by locking the door and putting a silencing charm on it. She wasn't sure what to feel or think.

He looked her in the eye finally and asked, "Who are you?"

Hermione began to panic, "What are you talking about, it's me, Jean," though she knew he must know something. She just didn't know how to not make things worse.

"The map's never been wrong before," Remus was pacing by now, only half way paying attention to her until he looked back at her face. "Is this some game? What's going on? This is my life. Who are you?" He was getting more worked up with each word.

Hermione's mind was racing. Map? The map! Oh no- how could she have not thought of the marauders' map sooner?

"I- I'm not supposed to say anything."

Remus looked deflated. "So it's true. Who is Hermione Granger then? Why would you do this to me?" he looked hurt and still angry, though with a defeated look.

"Sometimes there are really good reasons to keep secrets. Surely _you_ could understand that." Her eyes widened instantly not thinking about her word emphasis.

His eyes widened as well and he backed up a step, "What do you mean? What- how do you- know?" She had never seen such vulnerability and conflicted emotions in a pair of eyes. She usually didn't even notice people's eyes.

Hermione made a decision then that was against her cautious nature that she hoped she wouldn't regret. Diving head first into the pool is the best way to adjust to the cold, right? She closed her eyes tightly and quickly said in a slightly raised voice, "I'm from the future."

**A/N: How will Remus react? I am so excited to finally be at this part. I planned out this chapter from the beginning, though the next one was harder. With that map, it was bound to happen eventually that someone would find out. Please review **** I really like writing all of this. I had a huge burst while I was writing all the time, and now I'm looking for more inspiration. I hope I can keep updating regularly, but it probably won't be every week. I probably won't be reading much fanfiction either. Real life needs to take the lead. I won't let this story go unfinished, because I hate that. Ii like the creative outlet, but I also like friend time and need study time- ugh. I still have some things that I want to do, but I need to work on some filler too.**


	14. Chapter 14 Reaction

Disclaimer, because you probably legally have to or something. I certainly don't own anything except for I guess my own plot. Honestly even if I had written Harry Potter, I probably wouldn't have the guts to share it to the world. I thank this anonymous format... This is now edited. Please read and review, and a new chapter will be up shortly.

Chapter 14- Reaction

_ Hermione made a decision then that was against her cautious nature that she hoped she wouldn't regret. Diving straight into the pool is the best way to adjust to the cold, right? She closed her eyes tightly and quickly said in a slightly raised voice, "I'm from the future."_

That was enough to startle Remus out of his previous state, "What?" he asked.

"I'm from the future, and I'm risking a lot by telling you," Hermione repeated.

"Right… so you are a girl named Hermione Granger who is somehow from the future, and why am I supposed to believe that?" Remus asked, perhaps a bit harshly.

Hermione smiled in spite of herself. He had said her name correctly, which people rarely did at first, and correcting people was very tiresome. Her face turned more serious almost pleading, "Well it's true, and Professor Dumbledore believes me," Hermione insisted.

Surely that was not a claim she would take lightly, a reasonable girl like her- if she wasn't actually a nutter after all of that… He could always go talk to the headmaster, Remus supposed. "How?" he managed to ask.

"I was given a time turner my third year, because I wanted to take every class that I could. It would let me go back in time a few hours each day to take two or three classes at once," she began to explain, blushing slightly. "At the end of the year, I was going to return it to Professor D- the Headmaster, and I fell. I cut my hand when it broke, and it took me here. I suspect I am here because this was the year the time turner was made."

"I haven't even heard of time turners before," Remus countered. He did remember that first time he met her with her coming into the hospital wing with a badly cut hand. That was not enough though, "And you expect me to believe that they would give one to a thirteen-year-old so she could take more classes?"

"Well, yes. They fought very hard for me to get it, and I had to go through all sorts of paper work. And I was very responsible," she defended herself.

"So a teenager given time power only used it for school?"

"Yes," she said hotly before thinking, "Well, except for once, and that was a serious situation. Which I can't tell you about- sorry," she finished nervously, knowing that her words sounded unbelievably strange.

Remus was busy pondering. If she was telling that truth, that just led to more questions, and made Remus more nervous. "You said or acted like… you knew? About…me" Remus still didn't really believe her, but he had to know. To know if she knew. He couldn't think of when he had been more nervous than this.

Hermione could catch his meaning from his hesitation, "I can keep a secret very well. I didn't tell anyone then, and I wouldn't tell anyone now," she tried to reassure him.

"How did you know?" he asked, still not knowing what to think.

Hermione sighed, not wanting to lie anymore, "You missed class and Prof- the substitute assigned a paper on werewolves."

Remus winced, "I was your teacher? How old was I? Assuming I believe you at all," he finished a bit unsure of himself.

"Old enough that I probably shouldn't have had a crush on you," Hermione said with a blush and a sly smile, more daring than she usually let herself be. This took more Gryffindor courage than reaching the Philosophers Stone.

"Well, that's- ah-." Remus really didn't know what to say to that so he just decided not to think about it for now, "But you've known- about me? And- not cared?" he asked hopefully.

"I know you're a werewolf. It's not your fault," she said, reaching out for his hand.

"I- how do I know you're telling the truth? I mean, it's pretty hard to believe." He didn't pull his hand away, though he was still thinking about it. "About the future stuff and everything…"

"Sometimes you just have to believe?" Hermione tried hopefully, which she knew she herself would have found an extremely unsatisfactory answer. Remus gave her a look that held humor even at this moment. Clearly he didn't find that answer satisfying either.

"I can't tell you anything," she protested quietly, though he had not asked her.

"But I'm alive?" he asked, feeling a bit bad afterwards for asking this first.

Hermione sighed, "Yes, and I shouldn't have told you even that."

Remus stood straighter as if preparing himself, "What about my friends?"

Hermione looked down and bit her lip, not trusting herself to look at him, "You know I can't tell you anything. I could change everything."

"I won't ask then," he said, fear growing. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to know. He thought something must be wrong from her answer. Remus had become very insightful over the years. Surely if she didn't know anything she would just say that she didn't, because that would be so much easier to say. Why would she know about her teacher's friends anyway? Thoughts whirled through his head. Being a teacher would certainly be great. It was something he had never dared hoped for. He tried not to think about anything after graduation. He wondered when he started to believe the crazy story coming from the mouth of this young teenage girl.

He spoke again before she did, "Tell me something then. Anything you can think of."

Hermione racked her mind, thinking of something to prove her case, though he hadn't asked her to, "I can completely describe the Gryffindor common room. I was a Gryffindor before." He smiled at this though she didn't see.

She continued, "And I know about James, Sirius, and Peter becoming animagi to help you through the full moons, and about the Whomping Willow," she finished quietly. "I don't know what else I can tell you. Oh, and I know all of the passages out of the school that are on the Marauders' Map."

"You seem to know a lot about me, probably more than you should if I'm just your teacher," he said, making Hermione blush. "But I don't feel like I know you anymore," he finished, sounding a bit timid. "I mean, I guess I don't think you're crazy or lying, though honestly those options still both make more sense. I want to believe you though, and I want to know all about you," he said, looking hopeful. He knew that all of this was crazy, but he still couldn't stop grinning knowing that she wasn't scared by him. He could sort through all of the rest later. She knew everything about him, seemingly, and wasn't afraid.

"Well," she said thinking of what wouldn't be too damaging to say, "It's hard, but I think I have a few good stories I could tell. Hogwarts has been exciting the last few years. I can't tell anything too important, but there was this run in with a troll in my first year, and a polyjuice incident in my second year. Of course those aren't the really interesting stories."

Remus laughed, "Those sound pretty interesting to me."

She started with the story of how she, Harry, and Ron became friends, though leaving out their names. Nothing went wrong until she said, "And then Harry stuck his wand up the troll's nose. I'm still not sure if he meant to or not."

"Ah, so one's named Harry?" Remus said a bit smugly.

"Ugh, you're ruining my story," Hermione said, hating herself that she'd let that slip. It was too much to hope for Remus to not notice details, especially slips so obvious. She knew she should have been better at this hiding herself by now, but it was such a relief to tell him these things, even if he couldn't tell him much. "And then the other boy, the one who had made me upset in the first place knocked the troll out with its own club with a levitation charm- the first time he ever got that spell right, if I remember correctly."

"That's a bit unbelievable that three first years could take on a fully grown mountain troll," Remus said, shaking his head, though he thought he believed her.

"Two first years, really. I just stood there and cowered to be honest. Not much of a Gryffindor at that moment. But I did cover for them for McGo- uhha it's so hard not to say things," she moaned, knowing that she was not being as careful as she should. Still, knowing that Professor McGonagall was still around was hardly earth shattering news. So long as she was careful, this could work, she thought. She hoped. She would need to be more careful though.

"Nonsense. And you still owe me a story about a polyjuice potion. I don't think I even knew what that was when I was a second year," Remus started, egging her on.

"Well, we suspected a few Slytherins of some- serious activity, and we knew they wouldn't tell us the truth, so we needed to not be ourselves, if you get my reasoning…"

Remus reacted just the right way through all of her stories. He was properly impressed by her brewing skills as a thirteen year old, and he did not laugh too much when she came to the parts about her turning into an odd cat creature by mistake.

"And those are the less exciting tales?" he asked, seemingly not believing. "I'm not sure if I could properly brew a polyjuice potion now, much less as a second year."

"Oh yes, those stories are boring compared to the ones that I can't tell you," she said, taunting him a bit.

"Well," he said a bit awkwardly, "I should be getting back. They'll be worried about me. I told them I might tell you everything, if I didn't lose the nerve. They'll want to check on me," he said, looking at his feet.

Hermione was touched that he had considered telling her so much about him. Though as it turned out, he had hardly said a few sentences about himself all day.

She knew she had to address something, "You won't tell anyone about this, will you?"

"No," Remus replied, "It's still crazy, mind you, and they'd probably lock me up in St. Mungo's for believing you. But I won't say anything." After a pause he added, "And I'll take care of the map so that is doesn't show your real name."

"Oh, so long as it doesn't stay that way by the time I come here in the future," she warned.

"Which is when again, exactly?" Remus fished for information, but he did so gently.

"Nice try, Remus, but I'm not quite that poor at this," she said smiling.

"You can't blame me for trying though," he said with a smile, though he honestly had not tried to push Jean- Hermione- at all today.

Remus walked towards the door before being caught by Hermione's quiet words, "Thanks for believing me, Remus. It means a lot to be able to tell you."

"Yes, Hermione," Remus said with a smile, still wondering how crazy he was again to believe all of this.

"And Remus," she said after he removed the charms and moved to open the door, "Next time, I want to hear more about you," she said with a smile.

Remus simply nodded and walked out the door, probably rudely but not really noticing. He was lost in thought wondering if he would tell her everything.

**A/N: Yeah, sorry for following off the face of the earth. I do love this site and want to do better. I'm editing some things now, but writing is a problem… Thanks so much for reading, and I enjoy all suggestions. I hope to write some more this weekend. Happy Thanksgiving (whether you live in America and celebrate it, or if you live thousands of miles away), and let us remember all the great things in this world (like Harry Potter and this community.)**


	15. Chapter 15 Remus's Telling

Chapter 15- Remus's Tale

_ "And Remus," she said after he removed the charms and moved to open the door, "Next time, I want to hear about you," she said with a smile._

_ Remus simply nodded and walked out the door, probably rudely but not really noticing. He was lost in thought wondering if he would tell her everything._

Remus's feet led him back to Gryffindor tower, thinking of things he tried not to think about and trying to think about nothing at all. He told himself that today had been a great day. Je-Hermione accepted him. Either the world was mad or he was, but he told himself just to enjoy. He weighed his options, wondering if he could have more proof somehow. Perhaps he would visit Professor Dumbledore. He wouldn't want to grow closer to this girl, telling her everything about himself until he was sure she was telling the truth.

He walked into the common room and up the stairs to the sixth year boys' dormitory, followed by the other three Marauders drifting up to the room as well after they saw him enter the common room. He had just laid down on his bed when the other boys walked in. The four were silent for a few moments.

"So, what happened?" Peter asked, earning warning looks from Sirius and James. They clearly feared the worst from Remus's recent encounter with J-Hermione, Remus told himself. That was probably a fair assumption based on the look on Remus's face (which didn't seem overly happy).

"Uh," Remus searched for words that were safe to say. He didn't like the idea of keeping anything from his friends, but he couldn't betray Hermione, even if she might be mad. "It went well, I guess. She already knew," he said a bit awkwardly.

Sirius's eyes grew wide, "But you told her- even if she already knew, you still told her? Did you try to tell her?" Sirius realized how hard this would have been for his friend.

Remus rubbed one of his eyes that had a headache building behind it. "Not exactly; she just sort of said that she knew."

"And you said it went well?" James prodded a bit hesitantly.

Remus breathed, "Yeah. She doesn't care. She said she'd known for… a while."

Sirius mentioned, "Well, it's hardly surprising if she's as smart as they say she is, right? Didn't you first meet her when you were in the hospital wing still looking like hell after a full moon?"

"Yeah," Remus sighed. It was amazing that the entire student body didn't know about his condition. Teenagers weren't the most observant lot.

"Now Moony, don't be all closed off and scared and call it being noble," James chided, assuming that he knew exactly what his friend was thinking.

Remus opened his mouth to protest that there was a lot more going on besides not wanting to risk possibly hurting Hermione, but he closed his mouth again before deciding on, "I'll try not to, Prongs." He said this in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

*******Remus******

Remus spent the next day wondering if he really believed Hermione or not. Surely crazier sounding things could happen with magic, right? He wrestled with the thoughts all afternoon until he found himself in front of the gargoyles to Dumbledore's office. He whispered the password that he knew he shouldn't know to the gargoyle and went up the staircase. He told himself that it couldn't hurt to check a few facts. Unless the headmaster was angry about the password. If the headmaster was even in his office in the first place. He gathered his courage and knocked on the door.

"Come in," came the unmistakable voice of professor Dumbledore from inside. Remus walked into the door and walked in timidly.

"Ah, Mr. Lupin," he said with a smile in those twinkling eyes. Remus was one of the few students who knew about Dumbledore's legimency; he could feel when Dumbledore entered his head. Maybe it was from being used to sharing his head with a wolf sometimes. But he also knew that Dumbledore only used it in very delicate situations. And Remus trusted Dumbledore almost without question. He owed him so much. The easiest way was to just let him see what Remus knew. He met the headmaster's eyes with his own and willed him to understand the situation.

With a sigh, the professor spoke, "I have been wondering for a while when I'd see you. Shut the door, Mr. Lupin," he said, and waived put up a silencing spell when the door was closed, something Remus had never seen him do before, even when talking to Remus about werewolf issues.

"Thank you, Professor," Remus offered.

"Of course, my boy," the headmaster said, with his normal twinkling eyes, though he looked a bit weary. "Now, I suspect this is about Miss Smith?" he asked, though in a way that conveyed his knowledge already. Students who didn't know about legimency just thought that the headmaster knew everything. Remus knew that no wizard was omniscient.

"Yes sir," he answered. "She told me some things, and she said that you believed her," Remus said a bit cryptically.

"You are a very mature young man, Remus," the headmaster stated, looking at Remus appraisingly.

"Thank you, sir," Remus replied.

"It's important that you don't tell anyone anything that Miss Smith has told you, do you understand? And do not encourage her to say any more than she already has," the professor asked, or rather instructed.

"Yes, sir," Remus replied. He wanted to say more, but his thoughts and mouth seemed to not cooperate.

"Then if that is everything, then I will ask you to step out so I can attend to another matter. Thank you for coming to talk to me, Mr. Lupin. And remember what I've said," Dumbledore kindly banished him.

Remus left still confused, but more content. Dumbledore really hadn't said much. But if Dumbledore trusted her, then he would as well. He thought it was nice to have Hermione- to have another person to trust and someone he enjoyed the company of as well.

******Dumbledore******

Dumbledore was hoping that he trusted the right young man. There was nothing deceptive in the boy. After all he had been through, he was the most honest and upstanding of the Marauders. And his life certainly hadn't been easy. The girl- the girl Mr. Lupin thought of as Hermione Granger- would need someone to talk to until she could be sent home. And, unless he was mistaken, he might need the help of someone, and young Mr. Lupin seemed like the best option.

******Hermione/Remus*******

Over the next several days, Remus smiled at Hermione and acted normally, but didn't really try to talk to her alone. He didn't want to know what she might ask. It was terrifying that she knew so much about him- more than he knew himself perhaps. He told himself that there was nothing to hide, but that lie to himself never worked. Even if in his head he knew that it was not his fault.

Classes went by as usual for both of them, nothing really out of the ordinary as November approached. They would still hold hands in the library and share a few chaste kisses when no one was looking, but Remus never talked about her revelation to him, and she didn't bring it up either for several days.

"Can I talk to you alone?" Hermione asked him, about a week after their last real conversation. Remus let her lead the way out of the library, holding her hand in his and not caring about who saw. They gravitated towards the same classroom they talked in before. Remus surprised her and himself by pulling her into a tight, silent hug before putting the same spells he put on the door a week ago. He didn't let her go, still holding her tightly.

Hermione wasn't sure what she wanted to say anymore. She was going to try to talk to him again, to make sure he was okay with all of this. They hadn't really talked to each other much in the last week. Being in his arms seemed much more important right now though.

Remus spoke without being prompted, "Parts of my life have been very- difficult, and I don't like to talk about them."

"I know, and you don't have to talk about any of that," Hermione tried to reassure him.

"I almost think that I want to. With you. I don't know… Just… Don't interrupt, okay? I- I don't think I can start again," Remus said into the hair around her neck. He remembered that night as he whispered it to the girl in his arms, "I still don't know why they went after me. I know my father was part of the resistance in the ministry against discrimination and blood purity nonsense. I think he was involved with more, maybe even helping to fight You-Know-Who, but I've never had the courage to ask. I think he gave up after that night though anyway. I did hear him say years later that it was Greyback that came…"

_Little Remus and his mother were playing in the snow. Usually when his dad had to work late Remus could stay up to say goodnight, and this night had seemed perfect, the first big snowfall of the year. The sun had set hours ago but there was still plenty of light to see by. They threw snowballs and dug around in the snow laughing happily until they were both ready to come in. Remus couldn't feel his toes or his glove-tipped fingers, but he didn't really care. He thought of the hot chocolate he would have inside. His mother looked back at him from several yards ahead, smiling until she loosed a high pitched, wordless scream and managed to yell, "Run, Remus," taking a shaky step towards him with a look of panic._

_ He heard a snarl coming from close behind him and he wasted time turning to look. As if he could have escaped either way. The wolf was grey, lighter on its head, belly, and limbs, and darker on its back and tail. He knew then that he would never forget that picture in his head. Feet moved seemingly of their own will, because his little mind couldn't think. Running, running, gasping for breath in the cold night's air. Cold, cold as the fabric around his legs was ripped, and the monster's sharp fangs sank into the young boy. Almost mercifully, unconsciousness claimed him in seconds._

_ Remus awoke feeling terribly cold, and he soon worried that he couldn't feel his legs at all, except for a painful and cold tingling. A man let off a horrific wail, and Remus recognized it as his father's voice. The man fell to his knees into the red snow, another image that would never leave Remus and would haunt him until dreamless sleep potions did not work for him any longer. The man's anguish was almost tangible as he held his wife and looked over at his son, tears in his eyes._

"He didn't talk for a while, and I couldn't understand," Remus said, for the first time noticing the tears sliding down his cheeks.

Hermione had tears threatening to fall for her eyes for the pain of this young man. She had never known anything about any sort of his family. She tried to think of words to say that had some sort of power to make everything better, but nothing came to her mind.

"I wondered if I'd killed her," Remus said in barely a whisper. "I wondered for years and never said anything. I thought maybe I'd changed and couldn't remember. But- it doesn't work like that, and I know that now. They don't change- that first time," he said, mostly for himself. Undoubtedly by now Hermione knew more about werewolves than he did, if he knew the way she researched.

"Oh, Remus," she said into his neck.

Remus just cried harder into Hermione's curly hair and enjoyed the caring contact. His dad had recovered quickly given the situation and tried to always be supportive, but that doubt in Remus's mind had left a scar as much as the one on his leg did.

"I'm here for you whenever, Remus," Hermione said into his shoulder.

"I know. You're sweet," Remus said, beginning to calm down. Talking usually helped any situation. He stroked his hand through her hair and kissed the top of her head. Yes, all things considered, life was still really good.

**AN: I wanted some more Remus time, so I thought of this chapter. Bonding time. I'm reveling in them rediscovering each other now still. And then some feedback made me think to add the scene with Dumbledore. I do think Remus would want some proof before believing such a crazy story. But, the details do fit, and it's not like someone trying to convince someone in this world about time travel. With magic, everything seems more possible. Any suggestions are welcome. Clearly I listen to them (if I don't have established plans for that aspect).**


	16. Chapter 16 More Girl Time Guy Time

**A/N: Exam week is over, and now it's happy time! So enjoy the chapter **** I actually wrote a lot over this week, though it needs work before posting.**

**Oh, and disclaimer and all. I own nothing, obviously, even when I don't think to put that here. I'm still not sure if saying that is a legal requirement of if people just do it anyway.**

Chapter 16- More Girl Time/ Guy Time

"_I'm here for you whenever, Remus," Hermione said into his shoulder._

_ "I know. You're sweet," Remus said, beginning to calm down. Talking usually helped any situation. He stroked his hand through her hair and kissed the top of her head. Yes, all things considered, life was still really good._

December was fast approaching, which for Hufflepuff meant the first quidditch match of their season. It was a different sensation being in Hufflepuff where there did not seem to be as many avid quidditch fans. Compared to the craze surrounding the Slytherin/Gryffindor match that always came first in the season, the Hufflpuff/Ravenclaw match almost seemed like it would be a friendly game. As now an outsider, Hermione thought that the school really could have done more to lessen the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Those houses always seemed to be in the spotlight, and the other two houses just dealt with the attention that was left. Most Hufflepuffs, by second year at least, didn't seem to mind.

Hermione went to the game mostly to make her roommates happy and to support the people she knew on the team. The Hufflepuff team had been winning, but the Ravenclaw seeker caught the snitch to win them the game anyway. Hermione had often wondered to herself how well balanced the game was, but never wanted to comment for herself.

Hermione was not really focused on the things that interested on her peers. She was quite content with her strange life, but it was still strange. Winter approaching made her sad that she wouldn't be spending the holidays with her parents as they usually did. However, Remus was staying over the holidays at Hogwarts as well, so staying couldn't be too bad. He said it was easier to deal with the full moon at Hogwarts, though Hermione knew he managed somehow during the summers. She suspected his staying was mostly for her benefit, but she was certainly not going to complain.

*****Hermione*****

In the first week of December, Hermione was looking for her charms book before heading to the library to meet Remus again, when Alice walked in.

"Oh Jean, I just heard that you are stuck here over the break. I was sure you would get to go see your family," she spoke quickly with concern for her friend. "I mean, I could see if you could come stay with my family, but I'm spending part of it with Frank-"

"Alice, it's fine. I don't mind staying. Really. Remus is actually staying too," Hermione finished blushing.

Alice laughed, "I wonder why he would do that, huh?"

"Stop it," Hermione protested mildly, blushing as she spoke.

"Come on, we haven't had girl time in forever. Girl time is an important parts of life that you seem to have been missing," she insisted. "Come on. I'm going to meet my boyfriend's family, and I'm so nervous. And I feel a little weird talking to the other girls because they are all single, and I don't want it to be just me talking… And what if they don't like me?" she finished hurriedly.

"You'll be fine," Hermione assured her friend. Girl talk seemed very disconnected in content but almost always about boys. "Who could dislike you?"

"Thanks," Alice said. "But I've heard Franks's mum is a bit… strict. But I'm sure it will work out alright… right?"

"Of course," Hermione said with a smile.

Alice laughed, "Well, enough about me. I'd rather hear about you now. How _are_ you and Remus?"

"Don't girls talk about anything but boys?" Hermione voiced her inner contemplation.

"No! Okay well only when there's no interesting boys to talk about. Now stop avoiding the question!"

******Remus******

It was Thursday night, and Remus and James were sneaking out to Hogsmead. Sirius and Peter were serving detentions with Hagrid, which really wasn't a bad punishment, so they didn't really mind. Remus and James were searching for gifts for the young women in their lives anyway, which Sirius and Peter didn't currently have. To be precise, James didn't actually have a girl either, but he was ever hopeful. Perhaps that hope was finally warranted – Remus had seen Lily smiling at James more often than frowning in the last few weeks. He would have never believed that a year ago.

"What are you looking for, James?" Remus asked. They had been to more stores that sold clothes and jewelry then Remus thought could be in all of Scotland, much less in Hogsmead alone.

James let out a sort of groaning sigh, "I don't know. Something to win her over and keep her forever? How can I expect a _sweater_ to say that? Or a necklace, or whatever." James covered his face with his hands and sat down in a chair that was probably just supposed to be decoration in the store.

"Wow, James. I didn't know- wow," Remus had never heard his friend talk this seriously before. It was common belief that James Potter would just always chase after Lily Evans simply because she didn't want him. Remus always knew that this was not the only case, or at least that it hadn't been the case for a few years, but he still hadn't expected those words. "You've grown up, mate," Remus said, clapping James on the back.

"No I haven't. I'm just the little boy chasing after the woman he'll never be good enough for. I'm just waiting around until I mess something up too much to fix. She's too good for me," James said, looking up at Remus as if hoping his friend would have more guidance than he had.

"Oh stop it. If you keep saying that you'll believe it too much. I know all of the good sides of you. Like the side that helps me," Remus said quietly. This was as close to talking about his furry little problem as Remus ever mentioned in public. "Could you grow up a little more? Yeah, maybe. But she's definitely starting to notice."

James looked up again quickly, "You think?" he smiled.

"Yes, James. I think the whole school has noticed, and I know you have too. Now let's get you a gift for her and get out of here. I still have to do my own shopping," he reminded his friend.

James walked a few meters away and came back with something in his hands. "How about this?" James asked, holding up a scarf hopefully.

"Slytherin colors? You are just full of surprises today, James," Remus laughed.

"No, just green. No silver in sight. And green is her favorite color. And it matches her eyes," he said with a smile on his face. "And mum always says that gingers look good in green," James rambled slightly. Remus remembered that James's mother had red hair as well, though it was going white now. The scarf _was_ a very pretty thing. Delicate and warm looking at the same time. This was fitting because Lily probably wouldn't have been one for a scarf that wasn't warm enough to wear in the real winter in Scotland.

Remus smiled, "She'll love it. And now that that's finally done, you can help me look for something for Jean." It was difficult to keep calling her Jean, when he just thought of her as Hermione now in his head. But Remus had always been one to think before he spoke.

*****Hermione*****

"Okay, well if we have to talk about boys, then I'd rather ask how you and Frank got together. I've never heard, and it's bound to be interesting. I mean, sixth year Gryffindors don't ask out third year Hufflepuffs every day. Unless you asked him out?" Hermione teased, glad to think of something that wasn't talking about herself and genuinely interested about the story.

"Oh goodness no. I'd rather fight a giant than ask out a cute older boy," Alice giggled. Hermione knew her well enough by now to know that her only truly silly moments came out in "girl time" as she called it, and perhaps in her time with Frank, though Hermione wasn't sure. "We met in dueling club last year."

Hermione interrupted, though she knew she shouldn't have, "There's a dueling club?"

"Yes, of course," Alice replied. "Well, we haven't really met much this year. Professor Flitwick has been very busy. He's a still a professional dueler himself, and he has been doing very well this year, so he doesn't have much free time. He's won a national tournament this year over the summer, and he's placed well in a few others. I think he has a good shot at the largest international tournament that happens next spring. He says he's getting too old for all of this, but he's amazing to watch," Alice almost gushed. She would get very excited at times when there was anything to do at all with becoming an auror. Hermione was glad that her friend had passion. Some people said she just wanted to follow Frank. Perhaps it started like that; Hermione didn't know. But her friend was fiery and would make a good auror.

"Yeah, I think I remember hearing about some of that," Hermione replied. She remembered Professor Flitwick being called a dueling champion of some sort, though she wasn't sure how those competitions or rankings worked.

"It was a more active club last year, open for third through seventh years," Alice explained. "We were partnered up the first day. He tried to make the pairs as diverse as possible he said, matching up different genders, houses, and years as much as he could. People say now that he was just playing matchmaker though, because four of the pairs he matched up that first day are still dating," Alice went on, blushing.

"That's very sweet. How did he ask you out?" Hermione pressed for more information, growing more curious about normal relationships without huge secrets and complications.

"Well, we had meeting once a week and a few weeks later he asked- or offered- or something to show me around Hogsmead for my first visit. I mean, it was sort of just a friend thing at first, though he later told me he was already interested, if you can believe that. I know I was definitely interested," she blushed and spoke softer, continuing, "I _might_ have threatened the other girls that they'd regret it if they interrupted us. I might have been a _little_ crazy," she laughed. "And we just kept getting to know each other, and we kept going to Hogsmead together. Just friends, but always just the two of us," she said, eyes not focused on anything, seemingly revisiting memories.

"And?" Hermione asked.

"Before every visit he insisted that there was more he needed to show me that I didn't know. Once we even snuck into the Shrieking Shack. I later found out that he'd never done that before and was just running out of things to do. But before the last Hogsmead visit of the year, he was acting differently. He asked me to go again, but he looked really nervous. I mean, I guess I saw it coming. Looking back it was obvious I guess that we were both interested and had been for a while. People said they knew since that first Hogsmead weekend, or even that first dueling class. Some people had thought that we had been going out already for months. But it's not the same until its official, you know?"

Hermione just listened as Alice continued, "I was so nervous. I just laughed and said of course I'd go with him. I always did after all, and I always enjoyed myself. And he was so cute. I didn't say that part of course. He said that this was different- that he didn't want to go as just friends. And then he told me he loved me. Is that crazy? I mean, we're so young. But- I said it back too. And we've been happy ever since," Alice trailed off with a smile.

"That's great," Hermione smiled back at her friend when she was sure Alice was done talking.

"I just wish I wasn't so young. It will be so hard when he goes off to Auror training and I'm stuck here. And I wish we could get married sooner, but I think my parents would want us to wait until I graduate. But people are age used to get married this young all the time. My _parents_ were married when my mum was fifteen, and it was even an arranged marriage! I mean, her parents didn't like it, so shouldn't she understand?" Alice went on maybe a bit defensively. She had obviously played this conversation through in her head too many times.

"I think that sounds great, Alice," Hermione reassured her friend. "I'm sure you'll be very happy together." This was difficult because Hermione knew they were at least married and had Neville, because Neville looked too much like Alice to belong to anyone else. She wondered at times like this about what had happened to her friends that made Neville grow up with his grandmother. It wasn't something she liked to think about.

Perhaps it was lucky then that Alice seemed determined to bring the focus back to talking about Hermione, though that was hardly any more comforting to talk about. "Have you thought about anything like that?" Alice prodded. She hurried to say, "Not to put any pressure. I mean, I know you guys just started dating."

Hermione stammered, "Much too soon for that." She continued, "But, we are happy. But it's complicated."

"You said that before, but what could be so complicated?" Alice asked. "Not to push- sorry," she apologized.

"No; it's okay," she said. "I'm just not sure how long I'll be here. I mean, I might have to transfer again. Family things. I mean, my family is worried about this unrest, or whatever is happening. They're muggles, you know."

"I hope it works out for you to stay," Alice said with a bit of a frown. "It might not be too bad. Frank and I will be going through the same things. Being apart is hard, but it can be worth it, I think. I know it's not meant for everyone though… But we can do it."

"I'm sure you and Frank can," she sighed and tried to put on a smile, "I'm just not sure about me. This would be really long distance," Hermione said, knowing how true the statement was.

"Well," Alice said, "No matter where you go, you have to keep in touch with me, alright?" she pressed.

Hermione swallowed, "Of course."

******Remus******

They wandered up and down the aisles of a bookstore with Remus just hoping that something would jump out at him. "Is a book too impersonal?" Remus questioned worriedly.

"She loves books, doesn't she? You two are always in the library, and no one has _that_ much work," James replied.

"She does love books," Remus smiled. "She loves talking about Hogwarts, A History."

"See! She's only been at the school a few months and has read a book that no other student has, I'm sure. She loves books more than Lily, and that's saying something," James laughed.

Remus looked through the shelves trying to find something perfect. Something she would find interesting that she wouldn't have read already. He found one that he thought would maybe be good enough, a book on nature and animal magic. It looked like an interesting branch or magic that most witches and wizards didn't think worth looking into. It would be perfect for her. James agreed that it sounded good to him too, and they finally left the store, heading back to Hogwarts. By that time they would need to be fast to make it before curfew. Of course, James undoubtedly had his invisibility cloak with him, so that was never really an issue.

When they had almost reached the end of the tunnel back to school, James turned to Remus and said, "Thanks," patting Remus on the back as Remus had done earlier.

"No thanks needed. You helped me as much with Jean's gift too." Though to be honest looking for Hermione took about half an hour while looking for Lily had taken about two hours.

"No, I mean thanks for talking and everything. I couldn't have talked to anyone else. I mean, Sirius may be practically my twin like they say, but he wouldn't understand like you do," James explained.

"Maybe it comes from being of age, or from dating a girl for longer than two weeks," Remus joked, attempting to keep the conversation light.

"No. You've always understood everything. You're our big brother, and I'm sorry we don't listen to you more often," James apologized. "Just… thanks."

"Any time, mate," Remus grinned. "Now let's get back through the common room without Lily seeing your gift. You wouldn't want to spoil Christmas early."

**A/N: So this was my first chapter back to writing after a while off. I had had a stock of chapters prewritten until life got busy and writing slowed. So, this is me getting back out there. I hope you like it. I actually got really excited writing this, and the words have been flowing better than they have been in a while. I'm happy with it. I threw in the bit about quidditch later because I had sort of forgotten about quidditch. I think that fits too though, because I think Hermione sort of forgets about it to, and I think she really wouldn't pay attention if she didn't have Harry and Ron. So yay, my longest chapter ever, I think. I know it's still short compared to some people's. I hope you enjoyed, and please review. **


	17. Chapter 17 Holiday Together, Moon Alone

Chapter 17– Holiday Together, Moon Alone

_"No. You've always understood. You're our big brother, and I'm sorry we don't listen to you more often," James apologized. "Just thanks."_

_ "Any time, mate," Remus grinned. "Now let's get back through the common room without Lily seeing your gift. You wouldn't want to spoil Christmas early."_

******Hermione******

As the day of many of her friends leaving approached, Hermione had missed her friends back home more and more. She knew she should go talk to Professor Dumbledore again at some point, but she didn't really want to do that either. She missed Harry, Ron, and her family, along with other friends, but she couldn't leave Remus. And he couldn't go back to simply being her teacher.

She couldn't stand being in the dorm watching her dorm mates pack up, so she went to the Great Hall, where most of the students would be flowing through on their way out of the castle. This wasn't any better for not reminding her of people leaving, but at least she suspected Remus would be there.

Remus appeared at her side and slipped his hand into hers. He could see the slight sadness in his eyes as he watched his own friends drag their last minute belongings to the doors of the Great Hall. They should have left them out for the elves last night, but students inevitably forgot half of what they wanted to take.

"You don't have to stay, you know," Hermione whispered to him, almost fearful that he would decide to leave, but wanting to offer him that chance.

He looked at her in surprise and then smiled warmly, "Nonsense. There's no place I'd rather be. It's just sad watching people go. But you're still here," he said. "And it's easier here," he added, knowing she would understand what he meant.

To herself, Hermione thought that surely he had some transformation arrangement at home to last the summer months and the years before he started Hogwarts, but she was glad he wasn't leaving.

James walked over and clapped a hand around each of their shoulders, surprising Hermione. He spoke loudly over the crowd of students making their way out of the doors, "Before I forget, you're both invited to my place for Christmas dinner. Mum's having her Christmas party again, and it will be great. You have to make it."

"Me?" Hermione asked

"Of course you're welcome. Besides, I couldn't invite Remus and leave you hear alone. Though I suspect he would just turn down my offer if it didn't include you," he said, winking at her and making a blush rise on her face. "There will be a floo set up for you. Say that you'll come. Please."

Remus looked at Hermione who smiled, so he said, "That sounds great. Thank you, James."

"Good. Now I think I've about convinced Lily to come as well," he said with a smile, though he looked a bit nervous. "Well, I've got to be off, but I'll see you soon," he said, adjusting his small pack that he would keep with him on the train. Elves had already moved large trunks to the train if the students wanted them. "Jean, make sure you take care of Remus when the rest of us aren't there to," he said with a smile.

"I will," she smiled back as Remus gave half-hearted protestations saying that James was the one that needed looking after.

James walked off, occasionally turning back to wave at them of to look for other people in the crowd. Hermione was still processing how she would now not only be getting to know Harry's parents and their friends, but now she would get to meet his grandparents as well. She couldn't help but feel guilty, wishing for her friend that he was getting this opportunity instead of her. She knew that he would want to know as much about them as she could learn, even if it would make him sad for him to hear. If she ever made it back to tell him anything at all.

******Hermione/Remus******

A week into break, the day of a full moon arrived. Hermione knew Remus well enough to know that he was not taking this well. He looked worn far beyond what a seventeen-year-old should look like. The slight grey already present in his hair seemed especially visible. When they were alone in an empty classroom, she reached out and took his hand saying, "You'll be okay."

"I- I haven't transformed alone in a while. They try to arrange to come with me even in the summers. Sirius would usually stay over Christmas here, or come to my house if I was going home… not that I begrudge him. I'm glad he's happy with James's family. But it's hard to go through."

Hermione bit her lip, feeling so bad for him. She knew if he had gone home instead of staying here, the other Marauders could have gone to his house, but they couldn't really come back to Hogwarts for a day without looking strange. She felt so badly that she spoke up softly, "In my time, there's a potion that you take. Wolfsbane. You still change, but you don't lose your mind. You just curl up under your desk and sleep until morning. You're safe. I think it makes it a lot better." She bit her lip again, "I'm really sorry I don't know how to make it. I should. I wish I did. I read it once, but it's long and complicated, and I don't remember all of it, and I probably couldn't get ahold of all of the ingredients… I don't even know when it will be invented. I'm so sorry," she said in a rush.

"Hermione, stop. You just... that's great. I don't even… Thank you," he said, with a far off look in his eye. And he added shyly, "And thank you for caring."

Hermione's mind was racing. All she had to do was tell him right now to make sure that he didn't forget his potion that night in the future- to be extra sure to remember. Then they wouldn't have lost Pettigrew, and Sirius would be free. Then Remus wouldn't have to leave the school. No one would know in her time about him being a werewolf. Surely the world would be a better place, wouldn't it? Or she could do more, tell him more. To never trust Peter in the first place. She tried to not think these things often, because how could she look at Peter knowing what he would become? He didn't seem to be like that yet. Maybe he would never turn if she did something, if he hadn't already turned. Her mind was racing now though, barely completing thoughts.

What if Harry's parents never died? Shouldn't she give that to her friend? But what if they wouldn't have become friends? That was a selfish thought, she told herself. Finally, a more powerful thought hit her. What if You-Know-Who had never been stopped? Altering the timeline was far too dangerous. She couldn't change anything.

When she came back to reality, Remus was looking at her oddly and with concern, "Hermione, are you okay?" From his tone, this might not have been the first time he asked her the same question.

"Oh! Yeah, I'm fine. Just too many thoughts. It's hard sometimes…" she still couldn't tell him everything. But at least he knew now why she had secrets. And she didn't have quite as many anymore.

"Thank you for everything," he smiled warmly, his worry vanishing.

*******Hermione/Madame Pomfrey*******

That night Hermione got as little sleep as Remus did. Usually she was not bothered by the full moons, knowing that he had his friends with him and that nothing bad would happen. Knowing the future was very reassuring, unless her presence had changed something too much already. She wouldn't let herself think like that though, and usually she wasn't bothered. Today was different though. She did not stay awake out of fear, but out of sympathy and worry for the young man she had developed such strong feelings for. She finally drifted off for a few restless hours of sleep.

Hermione woke up feeling no better for having slept, but she was comforted by thinking that at least the full moon was over for another month.

When she thought it was late enough that Remus would be in the hospital wing, she slipped out of her room and across the castle to see him. A little voice in her mind told her that he would need his sleep, but she chose to ignore it.

She arrived at the hospital wing only to have the young Madame Pomfrey attempt to shoo her out. "Miss- Smith is it? There's nothing to worry about. Young Remus just had a little incident and he needs some rest."

"It's okay, I know what's wrong. I just- wanted to see him," she said, seeing that there was no one else in the large open room except for the two of them and a bed with curtains around it which must contain Remus.

Madame Pomfrey raised an eyebrow at this and looked over the girl appraisingly. To her knowledge young Mr. Lupin had never told anyone about his problem, and it had taken the other boys quite a while to figure it out for themselves. He talked to her more than all the other students combined, probably because as the nurse she knew of his problem when not even many of the teachers did. She had grown to think of him as a son, or a younger cousin at least. Her first year working at Hogwarts was his first year as a student, so they learned and grew together. She knew him so well that she would think of him as Remus, rather than Mr. Lupin. She remembered him worrying about what his friends would think of him, and he shared his relief with her when they figured it out and stood by him just the same. Perhaps young Miss Smith was of the same opinion. She hoped for happiness for the young man that she was so protective of as if he really were her own family.

Her voice was much softer and kinder when she spoke to the younger girl, "Well, then you know that Remus could use some rest. You look like you could use some more sleep as well. I will tell him that you came by though."

With knowing Madame Pomfrey and her manner with patients, Hermione knew that this was the best offer she would receive while Remus was asleep. She turned to leave the hospital wing saying, "Thank you, Madame Pomfrey."

"No, thank you dear," Madame Pomfrey said, smiling warmly as the young girl. She liked knowing that Remus was being looked after even when his friends were gone. In fact, this girl was probably the reason he was still here over the break. Perhaps she would ask him about her when Mr. Lupin woke up, if her curiosity got the best of her.

*******Remus*****

Remus woke to see Madame Pomfrey sitting in a chair by his bed. This was rather unusual for her, because she was usually hurrying around doing something and would only spend an extended amount of time with a single patient if they were in critical condition, even if he was the only patient in the hospital wing over this break. Remus felt fine for waking up after a full moon. She must have healed any gashes while he slept. She was currently reading a book that didn't even look medically related, and she hadn't even seemed to notice he was awake. "Hello," he offered.

"Oh," she got up and put her book away, seemingly feeling like she should look busy. "Are you feeling all right there, Mr. Lupin?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he said, knowing her well enough to know that there was something unusual going on.

"Miss Smith dropped by to see you. She seemed quite anxious to see you," the older woman prompted.

"Oh, thanks," Remus got out, slightly embarrassed. He felt more comfortable with Madame Pomfrey than almost any adult. He even called her Poppy sometimes, when she was acting as more of a friend and less of a caregiver. Remus was still a very private person though. It wasn't as though he and Hermione had kept their relationship secret. Most of the school probably knew, or at least most of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

"She knew to find you here today," Poppy said conversationally.

"Yeah," Remus admitted, "She's clever and sweet."

"I will just get you some potions to take, and you can be on your way early today, I think," Poppy decided, nodding her head at her assessment.

"O- okay," Remus agreed to her unusual remarks. It was unlike her to let a patient out of her sight until she was had done a variety of tests and checks. Usually even after tests she insisted patients rest in the hospital wing for a while. Remus was no exception even though his maladies were known and always recurring.

Madame Pomfrey handed him a several vials of liquid that he was very familiar with and knew by sight- blood replenishing, pepper-up, dreamless sleep, and a moderate strength pain potion. "Come back of course if you need anything more. Remember that it does not do to keep a young lady waiting for you. You should go show her that you are perfectly healthy and a very nice young man." Remus thought he caught sight of a tear in her eye, but she did not act like anything was wrong.

"Thank you," he said, getting up as she practically hurried him out the door. He raised the potions and nodded his head in thanks before walking down the hall wondering where Hermione might be at the moment. With the full moon behind him, he was really looking forward to the rest of the holiday. There was even a promise of seeing all of his friends on Christmas Day. He walked off actually whistling as he went.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed. I'm really enjoying exploring different minor characters. Now I get to imagine James's family. Stay tuned for the next chapter! I've been going back and editing earlier chapters right now, though no plot changes, so you don't have to worry about that. I thought about including the whole party in this chapter, but I feel better about being able to give more frequent updates even if the chapters are shorter.**


	18. Chapter 18 Meet the Potters

Chapter 18- Meet the Potters

_Madame Pomfrey handed him a several vials of liquid that he was very familiar with and knew by sight- blood replenishing, pepper-up, dreamless sleep, and a moderate strength pain potion. "Come back of course if you need anything more. It does not do to keep a young woman waiting for you. You should go show here that you are perfectly fine."_

_ "Thank you," he said, getting up as she practically hurried him out the door. He raised the potions and nodded his head in thanks before walking down the hall wondering where Hermione might be at the moment. With the full moon behind him, he was really looking forward to the rest of the holiday. There was even a promise of seeing all of his friends on Christmas Day. He walked off actually whistling as he went. _

*******Hermione*******

Christmas morning found Hermione alone in her bedroom, like all the mornings of the last few weeks. It is always exciting to wake up and remember the holiday. The effect was slightly dampened by the realization that there was not a pile of presents at the foot of her bed, as the elves had always done for her in the past. Well, she thought, Remus must want to give her his in person, and she supposed that she shouldn't really expect anything from anyone else, thought the thought hurt her more than she would like to admit. She suddenly couldn't stand the confines to the empty room that had always seemed small but now felt overly large and terribly empty. A walk outside would do her good, wouldn't it? She told herself that crying was foolish and tried to hold back the tears.

Walking into the common room was a surprise after these thoughts. All of the Hufflepuffs that were still at the school, which was five of them besides herself, were sitting around the large Christmas tree in the common room. The two youngest students, whom she thought were a first and a second year were dividing up packages into different piles. Smiles met her as she walked into the room.

A boy whom she thought was a sixth year spoke up, "Good. We worried that someone hadn't told you how we do Christmas here, and I don't think we could keep those two out of the much longer."

"I hadn't heard," she said softly.

"Well, then it's very good that you are up early anyway," the same boy said with a smile.

"We open them together," the second year girl piped up, "And not until _everyone_ is here." The older students all looked tired, but everyone wore a smile.

"Unless," the older boy broke back in, "You think something will be private and don't want to open it with other people around. I'm sure you'll be glad to get things from home though."

"Oh," Hermione said uncomfortably. "My parents are muggles, and they probably don't know how to send things to Hogwarts."

"They sent you one. It's with your pile," the eager second year spoke up. I heard the school owls visit the muggle homes to check for gifts," the girl offered.

Hermione almost couldn't breathe. If only she could have something from her parents, but she knew that couldn't possibly be the case. Her speculations were confirmed when she saw Professor Dumbledore's tidy scrawl on the note.

"Are we ready?" the first year girl spoke up timidly.

"Almost," said the oldest member present, a seventh year girl. "These first," she said, passing out differently sized gifts in identical wrapping. "From Professor Sprout," she explained as she handed Hermione hers. "She gives us each something if we are here for the holidays. It's different depending on how many years you've stayed over the holidays. She'll come over here tonight with hot chocolate if you are here after dinner."

They all opened their first gifts. Hermione's contained a very nice Hufflepuff scarf with a badger on one end, as did the first year girl and one of the boys. The oldest girl received a very nice bracelet, and Hermione vaguely wondered how many Christmases she had spent here and why she was not at home.

"Now find your pile and dig in!" the seventh year announced when everyone had opened their kind present from Professor Sprout.

Hermione, to her surprise, had a sizable collection of gifts. There were little gifts from each of the girls, similar to the ones she gave them. Someone had picked up on her love for sugar quills, and others gave assorted sweets or trinkets. Alice gave her a book of household charms. There was a message on the inside cover that made her blush worse than Ron would. It read:

"I thought you might need to know some of these before you and Remus start raising little genius witches and wizards without the help of house elves."

She received three gifts from Professor Dumbledore, each with different names on the outside. Her "parents" got her a new cloak in a lovely blue color, and two "old friends" remembered her as well. There was some hair care products supposedly from one, which she appreciated, and a book on recent history for this time, muggle and magical, from the other.

"Thank you," she whispered, brushing away tears forming in the corner of her eyes. It was difficult being away from her friends and family, but she had made friends here too. It was just difficult. She watched as the other students finished unwrapping their gifts.

"That's really pretty," one of the younger girls said, pointing at Hermione's cloak.

"Thanks," she said. "It's from my parents," she continued, wiping her tears away. "I've got to go though," she said, not even coming up with an excuse. She was going to see Remus she supposed, but mostly just to be in a place that she wasn't lying about everything. These people were too nice for that.

"I'm sure your boyfriend wants to see you," the younger girl smiled. "You're lucky that he's here with you,"

"Yeah, thanks," Hermione responded as she gathered her gifts to drop them off in her dorm before grabbing Remus's gift and going to wander the halls. Maybe to breakfast. They didn't really set up a place or time to meet, which Hermione regretted now. He would find her though, and she didn't really want to go to breakfast alone.

*****Hermione/Remus******

Not long after leaving her dorm, she heard someone approach. "Hey," Remus said.

She turned, making sure there was a smile on her face, as she really was happy to see him, "I knew you'd find me. Handy tool you have there," she nodded at the blank parchment in his hand that she knew to be the Marauder's Map.

"Yeah, speaking of which, the guys asked me to plot the Hufflepuff common rooms over the break. They thought maybe you'd help? It's the last dorm left, and then the only thing we won't have is some of the teachers quarters."

"You mean you have some of the teachers' quarters?" Hermione questioned. That wasn't something she had really thought to look for. She didn't really look at the map that often though; that was more Harry and Ron.

"Yeah," Remus said with a blush, letting Hermione know that there were probably a few interesting stories there.

"Hmmmm… we'll see," she said with a smile.

"Please?" he asked.

"Well… only because I know it is plotted somehow. You can't come in though. Hufflepuff code. You'll have to teach me how to do it myself," she insisted.

"Deal," Remus smiled. "Let's go get something to eat," Remus suggested.

"Gifts first," Hermione insisted, looking at the package in Remus's hand, almost sure it was a book and wondering what it was about.

"Alright," Remus said bashfully, holding out the present for her as she did the same.

Both unwrapped their gifts while half-way looking at the other one. "Ooh," Hermione voiced when opening her book, turning right to the table of contents. The title read, _Naturalistic Magic_.

"It has chapters about traditional magical familiars, which are actually very rare now as most are really just pets, and on wizarding owls, and other animal and nature based magics," Remus explained, hoping she'd like it.

"It's great!" she replied, giving him a quick hug and standing on her toes for a small kiss that left Remus grinning. "Do you like mine?" she questioned timidly. She thought Remus was very difficult to shop for.

"Yeah, it's great," he said, not losing his smile. He held the two wizarding robes with an assorted pile of chocolates on top. "It's too much really. Thank you."

Remus shrunk their new belongings to manage them more easily, and they walked to the Great Hall hand in hand, idly chatting as they went.

*****Hermione/Remus******

Meals were less formal on the holidays, with everyone fitting around one smaller table. Even many of the teachers went somewhere else for the holidays. It was an enjoyable meal. Hermione enjoyed seeing the remaining staff, like Hagrid and Professor McGonagall, making her feel less far from home.

They lounged around the castle during the morning and afternoon, and plotted the Hufflepuff living quarters. James Potter had left Remus with his invisibility cloak for just this opportunity. Hermione was intimidated by the task, especially sneaking into the older boys' dormitories, but she had faced far worse, and someone had to do it. She would not betray her new house by letting someone else in. She wondered how they had plotted the Slytherin and Ravenclaw living areas. The job really wasn't as difficult as it should have been with most people gone for the break. She waited until she thought everyone was at lunch and simply went from room to room. Very few of the doors were even locked, and all of those belonging to completely empty rooms for the holidays. They seemingly trusted fellow Hufflepuffs unquestioningly. Once she thought about it, Hermione didn't even think there was anything preventing boys from coming into the girls' rooms. Perhaps that was only a Gryffindor chivalry code, or perhaps Helga Hufflepuff trusted her house more than the others.

*****Hermione/Remus******

It was a lovely Christmas Day, and the hours melted away until it was time to go to the Potters' house. Hermione had not felt this guilty in months that it was she who was here instead of Harry. But she couldn't change that. She hoped that she would have many stories to tell him one day, if she ever told him about any of this. She tried not to think of such things as she and Remus walked down the hall. The headmaster himself let them use his fireplace so that they could go to the Potters' party.

Hermione stepped through first and stumbled out of the connecting fireplace coughing. She was still unused to magical transportation after spending most time at Hogwarts or with her parents, but at least she had never ended in the wrong place like Harry had. She was helped up by a man who looked very like Harry and James but with grey hair. "Thank you, sir," she said to Mr. Potter. Remus had mentioned to her before that James parents had not married while they were young, and had also not been able to have a child for many years. Remus privately shared that he thought they could have given James a more structured childhood, but they were so happy to have a child, and James had turned out alright anyway eventually. He has improved dramatically this year alone. They had not even had a single conflict with Severus Snape this school year, after the rather unpleasant confrontation at the end of fifth year.

"Not a problem, young miss. May I ask your name, and are you a friend of James?" he replied with a smile.

"Yes sir, and my name is Jean Smith," she liked the man already.

"Ahh yes, the bright new young Hufflepuff. Of course you must be bright just for knowing the worth of Remus here," he said, clapping his hand on the back of Remus, who had just arrived much more gracefully than Hermione had. Remus was wearing a new black robe that Hermione had given him for Christmas, and Hermione was wearing a black robe of her own, which was covered with her new cloak.

"Thank you sir," Remus said to his friend's father. "She's definitely something special," he blushed. The two of them nodded at Mr. Potter, and walked away to free the fireplace to where guests were leaving their cloaks with a group of house elves dressed in white uniforms with a crest on them. Hermione wondered if Harry even knew his family's crest as she tried not to dwell on their being house elves present. They at least seemed happy and well looked-after.

When Hermione looked back, Mr. Potter had his arm loosely around the waist of a woman who seemed to be his wife. She had her hair in an elegant knot at the back of her head with a few wisps escaping. Though her red hair was turning white, she had a happy face that made her still look somewhat youthful. Most guests seemed older, contemporaries of James's parents or a bit younger. There were also a few faces Hermione recognized from Hogwarts, students and faculty alike. She thought she saw Professor McGonagall from across the room.

Hermione and Remus gravitated to where the other Marauders were, along with Lily and her friend, who still seemed interested in Sirius, though Hermione didn't think they had ever dated, at least not yet. Hermione thought Lily looked stunning in a set of green dress robes with a green scarf around her neck. The scarf looked a little warm to be wearing inside, but she didn't seem to mind and it looked well with the dress. Most others of their age were dresses slightly more casually, though some adults looked like their clothes were exceptionally expensive. The Potters seemed to run in sophisticated circles.

House elves moved through crowds with trays of food and different beverages including juices, wines, and champagnes. The group chatted and mingled. There was a late, elegant dinner planned. James whined that next year he would be expected to sit at the main table with his parents, which would be endlessly boring, but they could all tell that he did not really seem to mind, and was almost protesting out of habbit.

James was often called off to play host, and did so admirably well, as the others mingled around. Hermione stayed by Remus's side though, and he didn't seem to have any inclination to mingle with strangers. When only Hermione, Remus, and Lily were standing in an area, Remus spoke up, "So, James convinced you to come here tonight? How did he manage that?"

Lily was sporting a slight blush on her cheeks as she responded, "Yes, would you believe that he even convinced McGonagall herself to come get me to take me here?" She conveniently did not mention how James convinced her to want to go in the first place.

Remus definitely did believe Professor McGonagall's involvement though. She would never let it stop her from punishing them, but people who played close attention knew that Minerva McGonagall had a special place in her heart for the Marauders, especially James Potter. He was practically her son. He actually called her Minnie sometimes outside of class, and she hardly scolded him. Remus had also noticed that Lily was already wearing the green scarf that James had bought for her, despite it being plenty warm in the room. It did look good with her eyes and hair, just as James predicted. He privately wondered how long Lily had been here before the party had started.

"That's my owl," Lily said suddenly, staring at the bird in surprise as it flew through the high open window. There was general commotion, especially among the more proper, older guests. Hermione saw James work his way quickly through the crowd to Lily as soon as he saw the owl. He wore a very serious look on his face. James made it to her side as she opened the letter, and reached his hand out for support as she looked like she was threatening to collapse as she read the first few lines.

**A/N: I really like picturing Hufflepuff as a kind, welcoming place, and I always mean to bring that out more. I was really happy with this chapter, and I hope you all like it too. **

**Yeah…. I'm sorry it's been so long. I did a lot of things over my Christmas break (my last one ever), but writing wasn't one of them. I did a lot of reading, painting, and being with family and friends. I'm sorry to neglect this though, because I truly love your responses, and I'm so glad that people read this. I crossed 100 reviews through the last chapter, and that made me so happy. Please review! I won't make you wait as long for the next chapter, but I do need some inspiration. That inspiration seems to come when I have a test the next day though- haha.**


	19. Chapter 19 The Letter

Chapter 19- The Letter

"_That's my owl," Lily said suddenly, staring at the bird in surprise as it flew through the high open window. There was general commotion, especially among the more proper, older guests, but Hermione saw James work his way quickly through the crowd to Lily as soon as he saw the owl. He wore a very serious look on his face. James made it to her side as she opened the letter, and reached his hand out for support as she looked like she was threatening to collapse._

She read the paper, looking more distressed by the second. Her arms dropped to her side when she was done, leaning slightly into James's arm. "My- father" she spoke quietly with tears starting to form in her eyes. "He… had a… heart attack. He didn't… even make it to the hospital." James arms were around her now, for once not in a way to make a romantic advance, but just trying to comfort her. Remus had seen James's kind, comforting side before, in dealing with werewolf issues and Sirius needing a home. But comforting Lily was stronger still. At some point this young man really grew to love this girl, and the hurt on his face was as strong as on her own.

Lily didn't resist his touch and leaned her head on his shoulder, sobbing now. "I was at a _party_ when he- died," she choked out.

"I'm so sorry, Lily," James said, smoothing her red hair. Neither teenager seemed to notice the crowd of people around them. Even the prim and proper crowd was now sympathetic to the crying girl and decided to ignore the frantic owl flying circles overhead. Remus thought that even the owl looked distraught at seeing its mistress so upset.

"I- couldn't have done anything anyway. I don't know how. What good is magic?" she shrieked. "We don't learn anything important. I wouldn't have known any spell to do anything. It just can't be true," she sobbed into his shoulder.

"Tuney wants me to do something," she said, waving the paper that was still clutched in her hands. "But I can't."

Remus didn't know what to do. Experience with loss didn't make it any easier to speak. Professor McGonagall and Mrs. Potter arrived when most other people seemed frozen.

Professor McGonagall swept her arms around the two teenagers, reminding Remus of a mother bird around her chicks. "Let's go to another room, Miss Evans," she directed kindly after releasing them. "Are you coming, Mr. Potter?"

"Can I?" James asked Lily, looking in her watery eyes not caring about the tears in his own.

Lily seemed to realize how close she was to James and took a step back, but she did not look away from him when she nodded.

"We can go this way," James offered, directing them to a side room where the three of them exited the now very subdued party. James beckoned to the owl still flying about frantically, and it followed them as well, landing on James's outstretched left arm. His right arm was around Lily again, directing her out of the room.

Hermione and Remus looked at each other in silence, neither knowing what to do. It occurred to Hermione that there was so much heartbreak in that little family, even though they were not a family yet. She knew Harry was raised by the most awful muggles, so she had a sinking feeling somewhere inside that told her that both young people were likely to have lost their parents before losing their own lives, leaving their son alone except for people who seemed to hate him. Hermione wanted nothing more than to leave this house, with its cheery appearance not at all fitting her internal conflict.

*******Hermione/Remus******

Mr. and Mrs. Potter spoke together briefly, followed by Mrs. Potter scurrying off in the same direction that James just led the two women. Mr. Potter somehow led the rest of the party into another large room set up with tables filled with food and house elves still scurrying around. Hermione suspected that they had originally not planned to serve dinner for a bit longer, as the elves were not finished setting the tables, but the Potters evidentially sensed that a change of scenery was needed for the party.

The older guests seemed to move on and at least pretend like nothing strange had happened for the sake of appearances or being courteous guests. Hermione and Remus were directed to a table with other young people who she knew or recognized from Hogwarts, mostly Gryffindors. Alice was sitting by Frank making an effort to start conversations, but even the kind, cheerful girl was quieter than usual. It was impossible to forget about the two seats near them left conspicuously open. Everyone at the table could be seen glancing at the two empty seats occasionally, as if the intended occupants would materialize. Conversations never really took hold at that table, no one knowing what to say. And it was Christmas Day.

Finally it was time to leave. Everyone wished each other a Happy Christmas and told their hosts that the food was as lovely as always. Guests made their way toward the fireplaces or outside to apparate. Remus and Hermione were soon in the headmaster's office again, though the headmaster himself was notably absent.

"I'll see you tomorrow then?" Remus asked. "I just want to go to bed," he stated. Though it wasn't very late, Hermione felt the same way.

"That's fine," Hermione replied.

Remus swept her into a tight hug before they split ways, each to their own empty dorm rooms.

******Remus*******

Remus woke unexpectedly to sounds of moving in his room. He was instantly alert enough to know his room should have been empty, and it most certainly wasn't.

"Damn," he heard a hissing voice that he immediately recognized to be James's.

"Lumos," Remus said so he could see his friend whom had evidently just stubbed his toe in the dark. He was already changed into pajamas and was moving his trunk back into place by his bed. "Hey," he sighed, "What brings you back here so early?"

James collapsed on his bed with a groan followed by a yawn, "It's because Petunia Evans is an awful cretin who makes a horrible situation worse. Can you believe she actually told Lily that it was her fault? We came to the muggle hospital and Petunia actually told her that she wasn't welcome if she wasn't good for anything. Lily couldn't bear to stay there, so she's back here, and I came too," he finished with a sigh.

"That's rough," Remus replied. "It gets better in time. You think about it less eventually."

"Yeah. I hope so," James sighed.

"It doesn't go away though," Remus warned. James knew that Remus's mother was dead, though he never spoke of the particulars of the situation.

"Yeah," was all James could say in reply.

"You really love her, don't you," Remus asked, still slightly amazed by his friend.

"I'd do anything to make her happy," James replied. He continued softly, "I'd trade places with her father if I could."

"She would miss you too," Remus stated. "Just give it time and be there for her when she needs someone. It's already obvious that you're the one she wants to turn to. She might not fully realize it yet, but you're there."

"I don't want to take advantage of her or anything," James maintained. "And I want to be… associated with happy things. Not with this."

There was silence for long enough that they were each in bed, and Remus had extinguished his wand to let them try to sleep. James spoke again in the darkness, "My father's sick," he spoke quietly.

Remus lit his wand again, hearing the serious tone in James's voice. "With what?" Remus asked, trying to be there for his friend.

"The healers don't know. But his magic has been spotty, and he doesn't feel well some days. He can take some potions on special days like today, but he has more bad days than good days now. The potions don't work as well as they did at first." The two boys sat in silence for a few more moments before he spoke again, "My parents aren't telling anyone yet. They hadn't told me until I was home. Maybe it won't be anything. But I don't want… It's been a really rough day," he finished.

"I'm sorry, James," Remus supplied. "You're one of the greatest people I've ever met. You did very well with Lily today. It will all be okay," he tried to reassure his friend.

"Goodnight," James said, "And thank you for listening."

"Goodnight," Remus answered back.

********Remus*******

Remus woke the next morning and James was already out of the room, though his trunk and clothing spread across the floor assured Remus that it hadn't all been a dream. Remus decided to give them space for the day to see what might happen. He got ready for the day himself, hoping that Hermione would be at breakfast.

The two of them spent most of the day working on school work, or in Hermione's case, reading ahead in school work because she had already finished her written work. Remus was into NEWT level classes now, which were more time consuming than even preparing for OWLs.

Remus walked into his dorm room to see James putting a few things into his trunk. "Leaving already?" Remus asked his friend.

"Yeah, hope that's alright. I thought I should see my parents a bit more. Lily went home. Her sister apologized, and maybe it was real, or more likely their mother made Petunia not make the situation any worse. Lily said Petunia was just in emotional distress, but I don't like her. It's been a long day," he sighed. "And worse for her than for me. Her mother really wants her at home though," he explained.

"Is- she going to be okay?" Remus asked. It seemed to Remus that James must have never left Lily's side, something James would have very much loved under different circumstances.

James actually smiled, "Yeah, somehow she is. Eventually. She's the most amazing woman I've ever met," he said, sitting down on his bed. "I thought for sure she was going to blame me. I think I'd blame me for her not being there. But maybe it was better this way- to not have to see it."

"Yeah," was all Remus could say again.

"You know she wants to be a healer? She always has wanted to do that. Now she says she wants to work most with muggles. She'd even go to muggle school if she needs to. She's willing to break our laws even to help people," James said in admiration. "Lily Evans," he laid back on his bed with a smile.

"Are the two of you together yet?" Remus ventured, half teasing half curious.

"No," James said, looking a bit disappointed. "I would never ask her right now. I can't. I think I need to wait a while. But I've never been so sure of anything in my life," he smiled, getting up to resume throwing the last few things in his trunk.

"Well, I've got to go, mate. Happy's waiting on me," he said with a smile. Remus knew Happy as James's favorite house elf. He was named by a previous master who was apparently a bit eccentric and had a love of muggle fairy tales. The man had actually had seven house elves named after the dwarves from Snow White. Happy was stern and serious for a house elf, perhaps to spite his name, though the elf would do anything for James.

"Enjoy the rest of your break," Remus said to his friend.

"You too," James called as he walked out of the door with Remus waiving behind. Somehow, people always moved on from tragedy. The pain would never go away, but it was already mending. Love can help someone through that too.

**A/N: Sorry for being sort of angsty, but sad things have to happen. I thought this nicely moved towards Lily and James being closer together, and there is the underlying fact that all four of Harry's grandparents are surely gone before Lily and James died, or someone would have made sure that Harry was treated well. Also, I think it would be really frustrating from Petunia's position to want magic so much and be jealous of your sister, and then have her not be able to do anything the one time you want her to do magic. Not that I like Petunia at all. She was an inexcusable menace to Harry all of his life. You don't take things out on a child. I don't forgive her; I just understand her side. The only Dursley I forgive is Dudley, because he was a kid and was raised by awful people, and he still turned out okay eventually.**

**Most of this was initially written when I had a huge test to study for the next day. Ugh for ideas coming when I should be focusing on real life… I have been having a lot of trouble writing since then though, even filling in outlines, and then I need more ideas… ugh.**


	20. Chapter 20 Returns

**So, I just realized that the page breaks I have been having have not shown up on the website on any of my chapters. I never really look at a chapter after I upload it. I AM SO SORRY. I don't know how you can read this. I'm trying to fix them all now. I should have known, because someone said something to me about it being difficult to understand one time, but I didn't realize it was this bad.**

**A/N: This chapter has Hermione's roommates in it. I know you haven't seen them in a little while, so here's a refresher, or you can go back and reread chapter 4. Or reread all of it while you're at it ;) I hate it when stories have filler characters that I've forgotten about. Filler characters are obviously necessary in stories like these, and I even like some of mine, but I just thought I'd remind you about them.**

**Kate Morrow is a muggleborn. She is quiet, wants to be a healer, and is on the quidditch team. She has fairly short, dark-blondish hair.**

**Rebekah Heart- fun loving, a bit of a gossip, not sure what she wants to do after Hogwarts. She is probably a half blood, though I don't think it's come up. She has long, straight dark brown hair.**

**Ashton Davies- Pureblood girl. Wants to go into potions. I really thought about cutting her, but I never did, so… here she is.**

**And then there is Alice and Hermione/Jean of course.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 20- Returns

"_Enjoy the rest of your break," Remus said to his friend._

_ "You too," James called as he walked out of the door with Remus waiving behind. Somehow, people always moved on from tragedy. The pain would never go away, but it was already mending. Love can help someone through that too._

*****Hermione/Remus*****

There were still several days until students would return to Hogwarts, and Hermione and Remus fell back into a normal routine. They would spend time in the library, wandering the grounds, and occasionally attempting to map out unexplored regions of the school. Even without much of the faculty present though, faculty rooms were difficult to find, much less break into.

"Hello, little mudblood. Picked up a friend, I see. One of the halfbloods that moon over Black and Potter, the filthy blood traitors," came the cool voice of Lucius Malfoy. Since her last encounter, Hermione had managed to avoid every Slytherin that was later associated with You Know Who, a subject she was now glad that she had researched thoroughly during her third year. She could hardly avoid Peter when she was dating Remus, but she could at least avoid others. Unfortunately, several Slytherins stayed over the break, more than any other house.

"Why don't you just go away?" Remus spoke up. They turned to face Malfoy. Severus Snape was a few steps behind him, in silent support of Lucius, Hermione supposed.

"Oh, a brave Gryffindor now," Malfoy sneered. Hermione liked this man even less than his son.

"Look, none of us have been any trouble to any of the Slytherins this year. Let's just have a truce," Remus posed diplomatically. Everyone knew that you had to be careful with Lucius Malfoy. There were rumors that he had already taken the mark.

"I hear that another little mudblood had a tragic happening this break. I hear she was quite laughable in her reaction. Getting so upset over a muggle's death." Hermione and Remus were both clenching their jaws in anger.

"You-," Hermione started to speak up before Remus cut her off.

"Let's just go," Remus said, putting his arm around Hermione's back and leading her down the hall. They both had their wands ready, though Hermione wasn't really sure what she would do. Neither Slytherin boy moved. Lucius was evidently not in a mood to go any further. Or perhaps, like his son, he talked with more confidence than he actually possessed.

*******Hermione/Remus******

The days passed until it was the day that the other students would arrive. Hermione had noticed Remus becoming quieter lately. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Instead of answering directly, Remus responded with another question, "Are you still trying to go- _home_?"

"Well," she started carefully, "I haven't really done any research in a while, but Professor Dumbledore is looking into it for me"

"I'm sure you'd love to get back to your _friends_, the ginger and _Harry_," he said with force behind his statement that surprised Hermione.

"Don't you get like that," Hermione warned, knowing what he was implying. "They are both practically my brothers. I would have thought you were above petty _jealousy_," Hermione snapped back. She knew that she should be understanding his difficult situation, but she was not finding that generous side of herself at the moment.

"Well, it's pretty hard not to be sometimes when your girlfriend is trying to leave you. I don't even know where you are trying to go! Or when… whatever! I know you aren't a student here yet, so that's four years at least. More because I'm your _teacher_ somehow. I don't even know if you have been born yet!" Remus ranted.

"This isn't exactly easy for me either," Hermione spoke up defensively. "I can't tell you anything because I can't change everything," she spoke quietly but still defiantly. So long as she was angry she wasn't crying, she told herself.

Remus covered his eyes with his hands and exhaled deeply. "I know. It's just all very- unconventional, and I would give anything to be normal."

"I know," Hermione answered quietly, glad that the situation was diffused quickly, thanks to Remus. She knew a fight like this with Harry or Ron would have just escalated further and ended with none of them talking to each other.

"Let's just go get ready for dinner, alright? Everyone will be back soon," Remus suggested tiredly.

Hermione wrapped her arms around him and drew herself up onto her toes to gently kiss his lips. "Alight," she replied and walked off, shyly swinging her hips just a bit and leaving Remus with a smile on his face. It was a small, somewhat sad smile, but present nonetheless. "It will be alright," Hermione whispered as she walked away, more to herself because she was not even sure if Remus would be able to hear.

*******Hermione******

Dinner was a lively affair, as it always was after a break. Everyone was talking of their gifts and about what happened over their breaks. Hermione tried to pay attention to everyone around her, feeling bad for not paying much attention to her housemates sometimes. Though back home she never paid much attention to Lavender, Parvati, and the other girls in her dorm. She listened to a boy named Mark in her year talking about the new broom that he got for Christmas, knowing that there would be "girl time" in her dorm later.

Even though it wasn't late after dinner, the five Hufflepuff fourth year girls gravitated to their room. The last one to enter the room closed the door behind them.

"So, which of you wants to go first?" Rebekah asked, looking between Alice and Hermione.

"What?" Alice asked.

"Oh, come on," Rebekah countered. "The rest of us know that we had boring breaks with a family. Lots of fun. Whatever. Whereas you, Alice, met your boyfriend's family and stayed at his house." Rebekah turned to Hermione and continued. "And you, Jean, spent the entire break in an almost empty castle with a certain Remus Lupin. Don't think that we don't remember that he stayed just to be with you. Nearly all of the Gryffindors always go home.

The two girls put on the spot were blushing. They looked at each other. "Alice?" Hermione prompted.

Alice laughed, "Oh fine. It's not like I didn't really want to talk about it anyway. It was really nice. I stayed through Christmas with my family, though Frank came over on Christmas Eve and met my family. We had a big dinner and it was really lovely. They loved him of course; how could you not? They didn't like it when I said that I wanted to be an auror. I hoped I could avoid that discussion for a little while longer. But everything was fine really." Alice seemed to be done talking.

"And…" Ashton prompted. "You are leaving out a lot of bits. Like the bit where you stayed an entire week at his house?"

"Hmmmm… must have slipped my mind," Alice said, giggling.

"Well?" Hermione asked, finding herself getting into the spirit of "girl time" that she had not had over the break.

"Well," Alice paused. "He told me that this summer, he plans on asking for my hand," she stated.

"What!" Rebekah voiced. They all sat in mixed states of excitement and confusion.

"Well yes. My family is rather traditional, so he's going to ask my father and grandfather. I mean, they aren't so traditional that I would have an arranged marriage. Though they did try to push me towards a boy when I was eight actually. He wasn't very nice though."

"But you're only fifteen!" Rebekah protested. "And dating the first boy you've ever been out with."

Ashton, the other pureblood in their year, spoke up, "It's really not unusual. There's a boy from France that my family wants me to meet…"

"What!" Rebekah responded again.

"Yeah, Alice is really lucky to find someone herself that her family likes. Pureblood families often start planning early to make sure their children have a match. Especially if they care anything about genetics and do not want their child marrying a first or second cousin. Anything beyond that is nearly unavoidable unless you look outside of the country," Ashton spoke quietly.

"Frank said that he would propose anyway, but this makes it easier, if everyone is happy. I'm not really supposed to know if we were being "traditional," but he wanted to ask me first," Alice smiled.

"Wow," said Rebekah, "I mean, that's great then, so long as you're happy. It's just not what my parents did." The rest of the girls agreed with well wishes and smiles.

"Did meeting his family go well though? Is his mother a hag?" Rebekah asked, never one to be subtle.

"She's a little rough on the edges, but she has a really good heart. She is so proud of Frank. She was an auror when she was younger, one of the very first female aurors actually. It was quite a scandal at the time as I hear it. You still don't hear about many female aurors. I heard her tell Frank that he brought home a nice enough girl, which is quite the compliment for her.

"That's sweet. We'll have to hear more later, but now, Jean?" Rebekah prompted.

*******Remus*******

Remus walked into their room, already feeling nostalgic about this place, thought he had a year and a half left in school. James sat on his bed, unpacking his things. Remus wasn't sure what Peter was off doing, and he knew Sirius was still talking to Lily's friend, Marlene McKinnon. Maybe the two of them would get together at some point. One could never tell with Sirius Black though. Remus privately thought that if James hadn't always been so fixed on Lily then Sirius might have found it harder to flirt with any girl that he chose. He seemed slightly more persistent with Marlene though.

James asked, "So how was your break? I'm sorry I didn't get to see you much."

"It was- fine. Jean and I spent a lot of time together."

"And the full moon?" James asked, seeming concerned for his friend.

"It wasn't too bad, really. I missed you lot though. You almost make it fun," after a pause he continued, "Strange though, it was like Madame Pomfrey couldn't wait to get rid of me the next day."

"Maybe she had a date?" James suggested, laughing.

"I think it was more like she wanted me to have one," Remus replied, laughing back, enjoying having his other friends around him again.

*******Hermione*******

"Jean?" Alice asked again after Hermione had sat in silence for a few moments thinking. "How was your break?"

"It was… great," she offered. "I caught up on my school work," she started, ignoring the chuckles of the girls who already knew her well enough to know that "catching up" meant "getting well ahead of even the other studious students."

"And?" Rebekah nudged.

"And Remus and I enjoyed each other's company and explored the castle a bit.," Hermione continued.

"Sounds romantic," Rebekah smiled, looking a bit more satisfied.

"And, I went to a party at the Potter's house," Hermione said softly, sharing a look with Alice.

Rebekah seemed a bit deflated now, "Yeah, we heard about all of that. I'm sorry for the poor girl."

Kate spoke up for Hermione thought the first time, "Is she alright?"

"I heard from Remus a day or two after that she was doing better. It must be hard though…" she said as the girls all reflected in silence before slowly starting to open up to chat about other, lighter topics.

*******Remus*******

Remus felt like he had run out of things to say and asked quietly, "How's Lily?" He had seen them together earlier, and he wondered if they had been in contact over the break.

"She's good, actually. We've been talking a lot. Well, writing mostly. I think she's handling everything better than anyone ever could. And actually handling it, not just ignoring it. We talk about things sometimes. She wants to name her first son after him," James said in an off-handed way that still did not conceal the importance he put on that statement.

Remus didn't quite know what to say. "You don't want to name him James Potter junior?" Remus asked, opting for humor and hoping it wasn't disrespectful.

"James can be his middle name," he laughed.

"So talking about kids?" Remus questioned, a bit more serious. "That sounds pretty official."

"Not really," James sighed. "I really don't want to mess anything up this time. I'm just going to be her friend a while." The room was silent for a few moments as Remus tried not to show his amazement. This was not the same young man that planned pranks on Slytherins. James spoke again, bringing Remus back to reality. "It has a nice ring to it though, doesn't it? Harry James Potter," he tried. "Harry Potter." "Harry," he said with a smile, probably picturing his life with Lily raising a little boy. Remus would not have suspected his friend of those thoughts even a few months ago.

Remus's eyes widened in shock, _Harry_.

**A/N: Ooooohhhhhh. Haha. What conclusions is Remus going to jump to? Thank you for all the kind words, and I am so glad that people like my story. I'm working on planning out some more now. It's just coming rather slowly. I hope it doesn't bother people when I don't use perfect grammar, particularly while people are speaking or thinking. That definitely falls under artistic licensure since people don't actually speak in proper sentences.**


	21. Chapter 21 Back to School

Chapter 21- Back to School

"_So talking about kids?" Remus questioned, a bit more serious. "That sounds pretty official."_

_ "Not really," James sighed. "I really don't want to mess anything up this time. I'm just going to be her friend a while." The room was silent for a few moments as Remus tried not to show his amazement. This was not the same young man that planned pranks on Slytherins. James spoke again, bringing Remus back to reality. "It has a nice ring to it though, doesn't it? Harry James Potter," he tried. "Harry Potter." "Harry," he said with a smile, probably picturing his life with Lily raising a little boy. Remus would not have suspected his friend of those thoughts even a few months ago._

Remus's eyes widened in shock, _Harry_.

Remus's mind reeled as he jumped quickly from one conclusion to the next. Everything made sense. Of course she knew about James and his childhood friends. He was her best friend's father. And knowing James, he probably talked about their Hogwarts days whenever he had a chance. Hermione was young enough to be his daughter in her time! That wasn't what he wanted to think about the girl he lo… the girl he was dating. He wouldn't let himself think down that trail of thought. Not when she was trying to leave.

He told himself that he should have been expecting this. She told him he was her teacher, for goodness sake. But she had had a crush on him… This was far too much to think about. Remus would confront Hermione about it later, but he couldn't do that now anyway. He was suddenly tired, or at least unwilling to do any more active activity than to pull off most of his clothes and crawl into bed. If James thought that his friend was being less talkative than usual, then he didn't mention it. James was likely lost in his own thoughts as well, thoughts of a different young woman.

*****Hermione*****

Hermione woke the next day ready for classes to begin. She finally felt adequately prepared for her classes, having finished over the break every assignment that teachers had even mentioned, as well as reading and revising her notes from the year so far as well as to finish reading through the first time the books for the rest of the year. She felt more like her old self with all of that done. She even had a bit of time to look through the past years books that her classmates would have used, to compensate for teaching differences between her time and theirs. She realized that it would be disastrous if she displayed spell knowledge that hadn't been invented yet in this time. Fortunately, or perhaps disappointingly, she found that at least for the first three years at Hogwarts, the curriculum was much the same for those twenty years, with the exception of the always unpredictable Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers. Even in this time, one never stayed longer than a year. Hermione wondered how Dumbledore possibly managed to find a new teacher each year. It should hardly be surprising how poor most of them turned out to be.

Hermione arrived at her first class, Care of Magical Creatures excited for the new term. Over the last term Professor Kettleburn became more daring in his choices of topics, though not quite as daring as hippogriffs. Professor Kettleburn didn't have the advantage of being as large as Hagrid, and he was already missing two of his limbs, and still seemed reluctant to lose more. Hermione's classmates' experiences in their third year in this subject seemed rather like Hermione's. Hermione privately supposed that perhaps a daring, bordering on reckless side was needed to want to deal with many magical animals on a daily basis. She looked at the hut that was home to her large friend and wished that she could tell him that he would one day be a real professor of Hogwarts, if not always the best or safest of the professors

*****Remus*****

The sixth year Gryffindors left their first defense class of the new term rather quietly after the sobering topic of the Unforgivable Curses being dealt with. The teacher, or course, did not actually perform the curses, but there was a rather tense class discussion where no student said very much, and now they all had to write reports. Remus wondered who had decided to pair Slytherins and Gryffindors together in so many classes, especially Defense Against the Dark Arts every year. Many sixth and seventh year classes only had one section per year of each class because students were not required to take as many classes or were not able to get into them. The teacher this year, though not a bad teacher, had rather low standards, so Acceptables on OWLs were allowed to take the class, so two sections were still needed. With the war going on outside the walls, and perhaps even at times inside the walls, few people wanted to risk not being as equipped as possible.

When the four Gryffindor boys were momentarily alone in the hall, Sirius indicated a side passage that would get them to their next classroom about as quickly as the path that other students took. It would also give them privacy though, and Sirius looked like there was something he wanted to say. Sirius stalked into the passage behind a large drapery, not stopping again to see if he was followed.

"What's eating you, Padfoot?" James asked, with a hint of resignation in his voice after they had walked far enough to not be heard by people in the regular hallways. Remus often wondered how the many hallways of Hogwarts worked, some of which that didn't even make sense on their map. There was complex magic in place.

Sirius snapped around, "I just can't take it. I tried so hard not to say anything in class. You know that half of those Slytherins in our year and older have probably already used those damn curses. How can we compete with that? How? And Regulus is going to be just the same," Sirius punched at a stone wall in anger and frustration. "My own brother. My whole damn family! Bellatrix is already foul, but she has been for years honestly. And Narcissa is marrying Lucius Malfoy of all people, and she's always been full of herself and blood purity. 'Dromeda's the only one not against us and they disowned her! I hate them all! And all the other Death Eaters too. I just don't know what I can do," he ranted to the boys who already knew all of these facts.

Remus wasn't sure what to say to his friend, and James didn't seem much better off. Peter simply watched the display with an unreadable look on his face.

"It will be okay Sirius," Remus managed to say to break the silent, not at all content with his stale and ineffective choice of words.

"Will it though?" Sirius asked. "How can it when they will use curses like that? When they respect life that little?" He asked more quietly, "Are we going to become murderers too? Is it still murder if they are like that?" Sirius looked at each of the boys, and Remus wasn't sure when he had heard Sirius express so much emotion. They all new that he hated Death Eater even more than the rest of them, probably to spite his upbringing.

"I don't know, Sirius," James said with a sigh, "I struggle with the same things every day. We just have to do what we can at a given time and look out for each other and the ones we care about." He looked around at the other boys and Remus and finally Sirius nodded, though Peter seemed lost in some thoughts.

"We'll be late for Potions," Remus offered with a sigh, bringing the boys back to their current situation.

"Yeah," Sirius said, "Thanks guys," he finished, looking at the ground, clearly not referring to the reminder for class, which he was always far less than thrilled about.

Remus had a multitude of things weighing on his mind, from his personal future to the state of the wizarding world to the enigma that was Hermione Granger and her current situation. He found the last topic most pressing, and it seemed to fill his thoughts as he attempted to listen through the rest of his lessons for the day.

*****Hermione/Remus*****

Hermione was busy with Transfiguration and helping other students until dinner. The second year Hufflepuff girl who stayed over the holidays seemed rather taken with Hermione and needed some help with a few classes, with some work that Hermione privately wished she had asked for help in over the holiday. After dinner, Hermione and Remus had arranged to meet in the library. There really wasn't much work for them to do, at least for Hermione. Many teachers gave a light load immediately after the Christmas holidays, seemingly acknowledging that a large portion of the students did not finish with the large amount of work that they were given to do over the break.

Hermione walked into the library and saw Remus facing her from his position standing next to the table that they would usually be sitting at. He usually wouldn't stand while waiting for her, and now he walked towards her with a distant look on his face.

"Come on," he whispered to her as he paused next to her before taking her hand and continuing out of the door. He took her to the classroom they had used to speak privately in now on multiple occasions. He locked the door and silenced the room once they were both inside, as had become their pattern.

"I've figured out some things," Remus offered after a moment of silence.

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione, wondering what could be a problem.

"Your friend- is named Harry _Potter_, isn't he? James Potter's son?" he asked, a bit tense.

"What makes you think that?" Hermione responded, attempting not to show facial expression at his accusation or her very poor response. She didn't really want to lie, but this was very dangerous territory.

"Damn it all, Hermione, haven't I proven myself enough for you to just tell me the truth? About this little thing? I'm already almost positive. It would explain everything. I bet James tells his son all sorts of stories from Hogwarts. You might have been over to their house and heard them yourself! How else would you know about the map and everything else?" he spoke, seemingly struggling to stay calm.

As he spoke, Hermione's throat tightened, feeling sadness for her friend Harry. Everything really should have been just as Remus described.

"Well?" Remus prompted.

"How did you know about Harry?" Hermione asked, barely trusting her voice not to reveal even more.

"So it's true?" Remus asked, seeking clarification of his suspicion.

Hermione sighed, "Harry- is James's son. But you can't- of course I know you wouldn't- sorry," she finished, rushing before he could speak. She wouldn't doubt his wisdom and silence."

"Lily's father was names Harry," Remus explained, "And she wants to name her first son after him. I suppose I was really hoping for James that the boy was his. The whole thing may have been a bit of a leap, but it made too much sense. And they have certainly been getting closer," he said with a smile.

"You can't ask for any more specifics though," Hermione pleaded, "I shouldn't have even told you that" she apologized. Remus nodded, seemingly content with this confirmed information and perhaps still pondering the implications. Hermione knew that all of these moments this year were really shaping who these young men and women would be, and it would certainly be interesting to watch Harry's parents draw closer together as time wore on.

**Edit: I changed the last few sentences to better flow into the next chapter that I am now planning, because I was almost going to forget something fairly important. I'm also going back to clarify that Lily's friend that I've mentioned before is Marlene McKinnon, because I found her, and she is thought to have been a friend of Lily's in school.**

**A/N: Not to beg, but please review. I hope I'm doing okay, especially with the romantic relationship and with Peter. I'm never quite sure what to do with him or when he turned bad. I show little shadows here and there. I have been writing, but I haven't really felt inspiration for this story, and all the sudden I had some thoughts on that Harry/Fleur story that I mentioned forever ago. I had thought that idea was just going to die, but it definitely won't now.**


	22. Chapter 22 Candies and Flowers

Chapter 22- Candies and Flowers

"_Lily's father was named Harry. She wants to name her first son after him. I suppose I was really hoping for James that the boy was his. But I was pretty sure he would be. It made too much sense. And they have certainly been getting closer," he said with a smile._

_ "You can't ask for any more specifics though," Hermione pleaded, "I shouldn't have even told you that" she apologized. Remus nodded, seemingly content with this confirmed information and perhaps still pondering the implications. Hermione knew that all of these moments this year were really shaping who these young men and women would be, and it would certainly be interesting to watch Harry's parents draw closer together as time wore on._

Nothing very exciting happened that January, except half of the school caring about the Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin quidditch match. Some spectators said that that games was always very quietly the dirtiest games of the season. Hermione was the picture of indifference, and didn't feel that such a game was worth the risk of injury. The next match, Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor, might have caused more contention between the couple if either cared much beyond supporting their own friends on the team. That game actually held the reputation as being the least anticipated game of the season, as around half of the school was only concerned with Valentine's Day. Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor would be a only few days after one of the most important holidays of the year to this lot of hormonal young witches and wizards. Even some of the teachers sometimes fell victim of the emotions of the season. Of course, Hermione found herself rather admiring the holiday this year, which she said was a sign of her maturity and not because she was not single. Third year had been somewhat lonely as first couples immerged and most at least flirted. The faculty was very accommodating of the teenage agenda by placing a Hogsmead weekend the weekend before or on Valentine's Day.

Even after embracing the holiday, Hermione was not content to be the passive girl that expects a boy to shower her with gifts with no recompense, which led to Hermione and Alice looking through Honeydukes.

"So forward and modern of you, isn't it? I think Frank will be surprised too," she smiled. "What do you think Frank will like?"

"Chocolate?" Hermione asked. "That's what I'm getting for Remus."

"But practically everyone in the school knows that Remus loves his chocolate, so you have it easy. I wonder what our boys will do for us."

"Oh, I don't need anything," Hermione replied.

"Oh, you know he'll do something though. I'm hoping Frank will take me to that new place, Madame Puddifoot's. It looks lovely," she gushed.

Hermione grimaced at the memory of the pink window-front of the small establishment. The girls made their purchases and left the shop, planning on meeting the other girls in a clothing store down the street.

"We have to give the boys time to come in here to shop," Alice reminded her. "Also, I have to meet up again with Frank before lunch," she explained. "He still likes Hogsmead weekends to be special," she smiled.

*****Remus*****

"What do you think says, 'I'm a wonderful supportive friend, but, Merlin, I'm crazy about you and you're gorgeous?'" James asked his friend.

"I don't think flowers say very much, mate. Now chocolate- chocolate can say a lot of things depending on the type," Remus answered.

James sighed, "She has this crazy idea that she needs to watch her weight, even though she's clearly perfect. I just don't want her to get onto me for getting her sweets." He paused, "Would getting her lilies be overdone and corny?" James asked.

"Maybe a bit, yeah." Remus sympathized. "I think you complained about a bloke giving her lilies a few years ago that she didn't seem to like anyway. But maybe she just didn't like him," Remus added.

"Yes, Robert the Ravenclaw," James sneered. "I was still glad to see him graduate."

"James," Remus said suddenly, "Guess who just walked into the flower shop?"

James naturally turned his head without bothering to guess. Both surprised boys watched as Sirius Black roamed the flower store.

"Sirius?" James spoke up. I thought Valentine's Day was a silly, fabricated holiday that took advantage of emotional women, eh?"

Sirius had the look of a trapped animal but tried to speak with his normal, smooth tone, "Well it turns out there was this bloke, a priest or something, named Valentine who married people that he wasn't supposed to and was killed for it or something. So that seems like a pretty legitimate thing to celebrate somehow," Sirius explained.

"And where did you get this excellent history lesson?" Remus asked.

"Marlene," Sirius said quickly.

"And are the flowers for Miss McKinnon as well?" James half-sang.

"You should bloody well guess that they are," Sirius snapped lightly.

"There's nothing wrong with showing interest in a woman, Padfoot. I could see the two of you quite happy together," Remus offered.

"I don't know about all that lot. I'm not ready to call it quits and lock it all up like you two. I'm just buying her some bloody flowers," Sirius said defensively.

"Sure Padfoot. Sure," Remus replied, clapping Sirius on the shoulder, happy for his friend. "Let's help you pick out some so we can stop by Honeydukes."

They settled on typical pink roses for Sirius, and James bought Lily some sort of magical flowering plant. Remus hadn't heard of it before, because it had no magical qualities as far as potions went, but it was supposed to be rather hearty and difficult to let die, which seemed like a good choice to Remus, though Lily had never been bad in Herbology. When they approached Honeydukes, James was appointed to be the scout.

"No one we know in there," James reported after he sneaked back to his friends before the three of them entered the store.

Remus hovered over the chocolate section before reminding himself that he was here for Hermione, who seemed to not appreciate chocolates as much as he did. He browsed through the rest of the store before selecting a box of sugar quills with a smile.

"Sugar quills?" Sirius asked. "You don't have to go for a bookworm stereotype, mate," he said with a bit of a chuckle.

"They'll be perfect," Remus said a bit defensively. "She has a habit of sucking on her quill when she thinks. It's rather cute, though she's embarrassed when it's pointed out, so don't," Remus explained hastily. Hermione was embarrassed by the habit, but said it started with muggle pens before she could even remember and it was a difficult habit to break.

Sirius's eyes actually visibly twinkled, "One with an oral fixation, eh? That's rather nice."

Remus blushed and sputtered before Sirius spared him, "Only joking, mate. It sounds like a good gift to me," he apologized lightly, but still with a smile in his eyes.

The boys left the candy store with all Valentine's shopping done and the rest of the day to spend together. Remus wondered idly where Peter was, but he was likely off somewhere at the castle still, sometimes not even going to Hogsmead. Remus and Hermione had made plans to meet up before dinner in "their classroom," as Hermione had called it. Remus smiled, thinking of those moments.

*****Hermione/Remus*****

Hermione stood outside the open door, not feeling right going in alone. Usually they met in the library first. A familiar hand slipped into hers and she smiled, looking up at Remus's face.

"Hope I didn't keep you long," Remus said softly.

"Not at all," Hermione replied, "I am getting a little hungry though," she said apologetically. Hermione hoped her stomach didn't make too loud of noises after an early light lunch and an afternoon of walking around.

"Well, why don't we go eat?" Remus asked, holding up a basket in his other hand as he led her into the room. He dropped her hand and shifted the basket to his left hand to put up their typical wards around "their classroom." "It pays to stay on good terms with the elves in the kitchens," he explained, conjuring a padded blanked before setting the basket down and leading Hermione to sit down, holding her by the hand again.

"This is lovely," Hermione beamed at Remus.

"There are two elves, Missy and Clarence, that know about my- condition- to help me around the full moon, and they've gotten rather attached," Remus chuckled. "They were really only to bring me food in the hospital wing, but now they always make sure there's rarer meat wherever I'm sitting and all my favorite desserts. I may have mentioned you a while ago, and I asked them to pack your favorites as well," he explained.

Hermione ate her favorite chicken dish as Remus shyly ate his very red roast beef. With no one else to see it, they seemed to have prepared his meal just as Remus would like it most.

After dinner they settled on a very small couch that Hermione was sure had not been in the room the week before. "Here," Remus said nervously, handing Hermione a rather lumpy package that he had obviously wrapped himself.

Hermione smiled and dug his own present out of her bag. "I hope you like it," she said in turn before they both ripped into their respective packages with nearly identical grins.

"They are my favorite," Hermione squealed, "I thought it might become a habit replacement, but I might just be hopeless," she explained, noticing an odd blush to Remus's face.

"Mine is great as well. Thank you so much. I guess we know each other pretty well," Remus smiled.

"You gave us this type one time after something happened," Hermione explained shyly, hating herself for saying anything at all.

"Well, you do have an unfair advantage then. It's rather cheating to know the future, I'd say," Remus joked.

"Not when I can't even do anything about it," Hermione ventured, feeling dispirited now. She was only taunting herself with these friendships when she knew that really she should be as little involved as possible to lower risks of changing things. But she was so comfortable. Remus did not say anything more but held her close to him. Hermione could have sworn the couch was shrinking further, or Remus's presence was increasing. They did not leave the room for several more hours, neither feeling the need for anything other than each other's body heat and gentle kisses.

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Tons of real life stuff in the way… I forgot about wanting to have a Valentines chapter and almost skipped it, but I wanted to have one. It just took me a while for inspiration though.**


	23. Chapter 23 Familiar Danger

**A/N: This is consolidating the last two chapters, as I said I would. The next chapter will be done pretty soon, and then we might be ready for some that I had written a while ago when inspiration struck me, even though I knew the story wasn't to that point yet. I hope you like all of my writing. And please review! I know it's silly, but I love reviews so much (as I know most writers do as well.)**

Chapter 23 Familiar Danger

_"Well, you do have an unfair advantage then. It's rather cheating to know the future, I'd say," Remus joked._

_ "Not when I can't even do anything about it," Hermione ventured, feeling dispirited now. She was only taunting herself with these friendships when she knew that really she should be as little involved as possible to lower risks of changing things. But she was so comfortable. Remus did not say anything more but held her close to him. Hermione could have sworn the couch was shrinking further, or Remus's presence was increasing. They did not leave the room for several more hours, neither feeling the need for anything other than each other's body heat and gentle kisses._

*****Hermione*****

The days passed faster each week. Easter would be approaching soon. True to her word, Hermione tried to interfere with this time as little as possible. She said less in classes and interacted less with everyone except for Remus, and Alice (at Alice's insistence). She could not quite bring herself to talking with Professor Dumbledore again, feeling guilty for trying to leave Remus and a little part of her not sure if she wanted to leave. She could tell the physical differences in herself just by glancing in a mirror. She had always been among the oldest of her year, but between time spent here and time travel, she estimated that she was over halfway to her sixteenth birthday, if one could have a "birthday" when days didn't really make any sense anymore. It didn't seem possible that when she had left Ron had somewhat recently turned fourteen, and Harry was still thirteen.

Hermione could not help but think that this time was somewhat more bland than her own, which seemed strange with the terror going around the wizarding world. She knew that many students were being recruited right under Dumbledore's nose. This year did not seem to have the strange task that her previous years had. Perhaps without Harry Potter, the wizarding world was really not quite so strange. Though time travel was among the strangest activities as far as many wizards were concerned, there was no stone that granted eternal life, or a monster that petrified students, or soul-sucking creatures and an escaped murderer. Even though most of the wizarding world had the wrong person in the mass-murderer role. She shook her head to clear those thoughts. She threw herself further into her own world of studying for exams in a world where she did not really have a true academic record. She didn't let herself think about what might happen next or any thoughts of summer, in this time or the other. She studied so much that she found herself sincerely hoping that somehow she did not repeat this work again in her time. She slept poorly most nights and dragged herself through each day, though friends made everything brighter.

_ Ron was hurt, bitten and dragged by that awful thing. Grims weren't real, were they? She could understand Harry's concern. But no, it was only a large black dog. Just a dog. Logic, reason was key even in this jumbled state._

_ Why was Crookshanks defending the monster? Evil humans were far worse than beasts. He was usually a good judge of character- except for with small creatures…_

Images came in jumbled bits.

_ Never doubt Crookshanks. He was right about the spineless, traitorous rat._

_ How could she? Cursed a teacher, expelled for sure. Could a fate be worse? Maybe. She knew now that everything could get worse, and those were foolish thoughts of a first year._

_ Escape. Chaos. Shattered happiness. Poor Harry. Darkness lit by the unusually bright full moon. Fuzzy images. Was anything truly ever real?_

_ It had already taken the others while she stood and watched. Tears. Professor Lupin. Remus. Not the real Remus. Her Remus. The werewolf lunged straight at her throat._

Hermione woke up sweating and breathing hard. After a silent moment she was relieved to surmise that she had not woken any of her roommates. The dreams always stayed on the inside, but one could never be too careful, she thought as she remembered the silencing charms she had around her four poster bed anyway. She dreamt of Harry and Ron often, thoughts of them invading her sleeping mind even when she didn't think about them as often during the day. Guilt swamped her whenever she thought of ignoring her friends in such a manner. This particular dream or a similar variation was most common and most vivid and often plagued her around the time of the full moon. Sometimes the ending was happy, turning in Peter to free Sirius. But Peter wasn't that bad, was he? Sometimes in her dream Hermione somehow reminded Remus to take his potion, so nothing unexpected happened. She was helpless in nearly every aspect of existence in this time, and all the more helpless for knowing the large events that would happen. Even now, Remus was running around as a wolf with his friends and would not return to being the Remus she knew for several hours more.

*****James Potter*****

Hours earlier, James prepared for their monthly outing, hoping that Sirius and Peter arrived soon. Hints of an early spring brought a cheerful atmosphere to Hogwarts, and James did not bundle himself up as warmly as he would have needed to a week earlier. Remus had just been taken out to the Shrieking Shack, and the other Marauders would join him soon. They were almost never there for the transformation, because Madame Pomfrey or McGonagall would sometimes take Remus out to the tree under a disillusionment charm to make sure that he was alright. The remaining boys did not fit as well under James' cloak as they used to, even if Peter already turned into a rat; they didn't want to risk the healer catching sight of a foot or a hand under the cloak. As James was ready enough to casually walk down to the common room, ready to make some excuse about visiting the owlery, Sirius burst into their room.

"James… I might have… I shouldn't have, but Snivellius was so damn annoying… and now Remus…" Sirius managed to utter.

"Spit it out Padfoot, what did you do? It can't have been that bad," James said, trying to calm his friend. Snivellius likely deserved whatever had happened. He would be a Death Eater soon after leaving the school, if he wasn't already. James often wondered why Dumbledore did not try to stop them, but surely he had some sort of plan. _Perhaps they were not beyond hope_, James thought, a thought James would not have entertained even six months ago.

"I- told him where Remus would be," Sirius said, fear beginning to show in his eye.

"You what?" James nearly roared before collecting himself, immediately understanding the situation. "No, later. I'm sure everything will be fine. We just have to divert him quickly." James tossed on his invisibility cloak, leaving Sirius to follow without its cover. Even if they could both share its protection at times, this was a matter for which speed was of chief importance. Sirius would have to make due on his own.

Surely nothing could actually go wrong. James admitted to himself as he ran down the stairs that he was far more worried about Remus than about Severus Snape. The boy had been far too curious about Remus for some time now, and he doubtless had come to the conclusion that Remus was a werewolf long ago. It was at least partly his own bloody fault if he ran right into a fully grown and transformed werewolf. James cursed Sirius's impulsiveness as well as he turned down the last staircase. The stairs had at least cooperated with him. He could still hear Sirius running behind him under a barely passable disillusionment charm. Sirius could perform a much better one on a different day. James made a mental note to learn a more broadly purposed silencing spell.

*****Remus*****

Remus sat on the cold floor of the shack, wrapped in a blanket and waiting for the moon to rise. Bones never became accustomed to changing shape, or at least his never did. His friends never had painful animagi transformations, even Peter who was changing so drastically in size. Remus cringed at the thought or an even bigger change than his own and thinking of the pain he would be undergoing soon. He tried to be optimistic about the night ahead. The four of them planned to go into the Forbidden Forest tonight, after a few weak protests on Remus's part. Though he wouldn't know what was happening at the time, he would remember everything later. It was far better than being alone, and sleeping potions never worked, despite best efforts.

Remus sighed, knowing that he needed to go to class the next day. As he and his classmates grew older and chance of detection increased, he made more efforts of being discrete. He had support of the headmaster and the grudging permission from Madame Pomfrey. He would try to make it to class after about half of the full moons. And every few weeks he would miss classes randomly, giving similar lame excuses. It must have hurt several people's opinions of his work ethic, but it was better that than someone discovering his secret. Dumbledore had a lot of sway, but even he could probably not keep Remus at Hogwarts if the secret got out. But was buying years really even worth the effort? Tomorrow would be miserable, but he could not currently even look past the night.

The worst of all was not being in control, the fear of what he might be capable of doing when Remus was gone and Moony made decisions, if they could be called that. Remus could feel the moon rising before he could see it through the boarded window. After some mostly restrained cries and screams, Remus was gone for the night.

*****Severus Snape*****

_That awful Black, worst of his kind_, Severus thought. His brother might be a spineless follower, but at least he knows his place in this world. Black could have made a good Slytherin without those damn Gryffindor "_principles_." _As if those ever got anyone anywhere in life_. Nothing can change. No one can change. No forgiveness. _Blasted Gryffindors_.

Potter was the worst, but Black was not too far behind. Well… Potter would always be far worse. _But for Black to have such pure blood, a powerful family, and to not value it at all..._ Potter grew up with the worst lot of blood traitors, but Black besmirched his family's good name on his own. But damn Potter was still worse. And then there was Lupin, the one with the secret, he thought. All of them left the castle, sometimes once a week, he thought, though he couldn't be sure. And the little spineless one, whose own friends have been heard calling him Wormtail. An interesting nickname for a supposed friend. But then, what can one expect from the worst bullies in the school? _ How could anyone seemingly intelligent fall for any of that lot's "charm?"_

But Black let something slip just minutes ago, something that he clearly regretted saying moments later. He could never have been a Slytherin with a face so expressive; he would have been eaten alive as a first year. He said that there was a way out of the castle through a passage under that deadly tree, and Severus (though he didn't use his proper name) could investigate himself if he were so curious. The ass probably hoped the tree would kill him. The lot of them must use it all the time to sneak out of the castle. Severus knew that a few certain Gryffindors, and sometimes other guests, had made many strictly forbidden visits outside of the castle grounds, though he had very little evidence. But of course, even if they were caught, the professors would probably all go lightly on their favorite students. _Favoritism was always present, but never for the Slytherins._ Their own Head of House would pick more favorites from other houses than his own.

Where was the lot of them sneaking off to tonight? Severus pondered as he sat disillusioned by the tree. After several minutes, Severus thought he saw a distortive shimmering before a branch rose up, seemingly of its own volition, to press a somewhat distinctive looking knot low on the tree. What good was a cloaking spell if you didn't even bother with concealing the branch? Someone was not clever enough for the great House of the Snake, or even to call himself a wizard.

Severus waited a minute before getting up and grabbing the same branch. He silently made the small limb invisible before lifting it and jabbing the knot- a task far more difficult with an invisible stick than Severus would have admitted. He narrowly avoided being maimed by the awful tree twice before successfully tapping the knot. He rushed into the whole under the tree before it decided to attempt to be murderous again.

The path was low and difficult to maneuver as a somewhat tall seventeen year old. This path was not built for comfort, and Severus wondered now why it was built at all. As he walked, he recalled some conversation complaining about the tree from older students. Evidentially the tree had not always been there, though it had been for all of Severus's time. Was the path only as old as the tree, and what was its purpose? He finally came to the end of the path and into what looked like a house that had never been cleaned. Most of the windows were boarded shut as if the house were very old, though Severus was not sure that it was. He must have been in Hogsmead from the distance.

Severus crept along the hallway with raised wand. What could be in a place like this? He heard strange noises from a room down the hall and suddenly remembered rumors of a haunted house in Hogsmead. Ghosts of ghouls or some such spectre that Severus Snape had never put stock in fearing. Honestly, some witches and wizards were as superstitious as muggles. Severus would not have laughed at the superstitious lot at the moment though. He faintly noted noise from behind him that sounded more human. Before he lost his chance, he gathered what others might have called courage, but he called curiosity and wrenched open the door that concealed the noise.

Inside was a very large room with a wolf. It seemed to be smelling the air before locking eyes with him. _Werewolf_, his mind though swiftly, noting the long snout. Before his mind could process further, a force slammed him from the side.

"Go, Padfoot," said the source, James _Potter_, the last person Severus would want to see. Sirius Black bolted past them into the room with the wolf, the door shutting quickly behind. What kind of person would sav- help someone they hate and send their friend to be mauled? _Remus Lupin is a werewolf, _Severus concluded swiftly. Maybe he wouldn't attach his friend? Of course _Gryffindors_ were not known for their intelligence or wisdom.

Potter grabbed his arm and pulled his frozen feet to the entrance again. Severus could hear rather vicious noises coming from inside the room. He would have believed there were a pack of wolves in the room rather than just one. The boys ran from the closed door, with Severus no longer questioning actions. They soon slowed as adrenaline decreased and travel was difficult in the low path. Thoughts whipped through his mind, making connections to every strange action of the group of four boys, but particularly with Remus Lupin. And Lupin had always been the almost tolerable one of the trash.

They walked in silence until James spoke up tiredly, "Headmasters office?"

"Yes," Severus snapped back, regaining his voice. "I demand so, in fact."

**A/N: I hope I did okay writing the Snape portion. After all these years, I'm still not sure where I stand on him, but I'm just trying to be cannon with this part of his life, which is a very difficult time. I hope you could enjoy this regardless of what your final judgment on him happens to be. I do want to focus on Hermione and Remus, but I think of this as being such a key moment to Remus's life as well as the lives of many others. I hope you enjoyed and thought everything was worth the wait. I hope to keep this flowing somewhat in "real time" with their school year, though I am running a little behind.**


	24. Chapter 24 Moving Forward

Chapter 24- Moving Forward

_Potter grabbed his arm and pulled his frozen feet to the entrance again. Severus could hear rather vicious noises coming from inside the room. He would have believed there were a pack of wolves in the room rather than just one. The boys ran from the closed door, with Severus no longer questioning actions. They soon slowed as adrenaline decreased and travel was difficult in the low path. Thoughts whipped through his mind, making connections to every strange action of the group of four boys, but particularly with Remus Lupin. And Lupin had always been the almost tolerable one of the trash._

_ They walked in silence until James spoke up tiredly, "Headmasters office?"_

_ "Yes," Severus snapped back, regaining his voice. "I demand so, in fact."_

*****Albus Dumbledore*****

A rather tired Albus Dumbledore looked at the two boys before him. At over thirteen decades, age begins to wear on a person, especially when they know they must be the image of the Light, the only one that Voldemort feared. Peace could not come soon enough, if only he could live to see it. He put on his normal affectation of seriousness veiling barely concealed mirth. His twinkling eyes were usually genuine, but no one felt up to twinkling this long after sunset.

"Lemon drop?" he offered as he did to any guest of his office. He had discovered the muggle candy years ago and quite liked the flavor. He knew the rumors of his less than upfront interrogation by way of truth serum laced candy, but those allegations were completely unfounded, as far as anyone could prove.

"No, thank you," James Potter replied. Even young Severus Snape stared at the bowl as if it were a threat.

"Well then, shall we begin? Mr. Snape, would you like to speak first?" he asked the far more irritated looking young man.

"Black tried to get me killed by his werewolf friend. Potter and the others were in on it too, I'm sure. Only they all got cold feet like the _brave _Gryffindors that they are,"

"Sirius didn't mean for it to happen, I swear," James broke in the conversation protesting, though Albus had an inkling that James wasn't as sure of his old friend as he acted like that he was.

"No one's talking to you, Potter, and I think it's obvious what was going on," he almost snarled. Turning back to Dumbledore, he said in a much more controlled fashion, "And I think the Board of Governors would like to know about the werewolf in our midst. You can't convince me that they have given approval for this."

"Now Mr. Snape, I'm sure you agree that we all have things that we would rather others not know. Details about our backgrounds, and even some of our own actions, yes?" he asked with his customary gaze that he has been told felt soul-searching. Of course it was in a way soul searching- or mind searching at least. He was surprised to feel young Severus putting up some resistance to his minor legimency intrusion. "Actions that would make enemies out of a great many people sometimes. Maybe even actions that we already regret," he suggested lightly. Perhaps a rather Slytherin course of action, but effective nonetheless. There was nothing so ignoble about Slytherin tactics that would make them unusable from time to time.

At the mention of regret, Albus thought he saw the boy stiffen slightly, and Albus thought the boy shifted his left arm more than the rest of his frame. _Had the boy taken the mark?_ At barely seventeen? He would not be the first to take it so young. Albus inwardly wilted, though did not let it break his outward façade. Perhaps it was something else, though he was not blind enough to ignore the growing dissention among the houses that left young Slytherins in situations that young wizards and witches should not have to face. But there was only so much that could be done to this prideful and clever group, traits that crossed many houses but were more revered in the House of Slytherin. He watched the boy, and he thought young Mr. Snape recovered quickly from any hesitation. This young man could become a greater threat than any others that he feared might have become followers of Voldemort. But he was still human- and very, very young. _Perhaps_… But Dumbledore tried not to let his quick mind wander. The boy looked at him openly appraisingly while James Potter only looked on in silence.

"Perhaps," was all that Severus Snape said, his expression nearly unreadable even to one with much experience dealing with young men and women. The young man stood up, apparently not waiting to be excused. "I will talk more of this later," he said, though Dumbledore was not sure that he would. Despite appearance to the contrary, young Severus Snape had had a very traumatic night that would likely have profound effect on his future. The old man that some called wizened, though he would not claim it himself, hoped that this would somehow work for good.

*****Remus/Hermione*****

Remus wasn't sure how he made it through the next few weeks. The guilt and the anger. It was two weeks before he forgave Sirius, despite the latter's constant efforts. He could have harmed someone. Every moon they took that risk. He was tortured by memories of himself as a viscous beast. He wondered if the worst part was losing control or remembering it later. He could have killed- or was it even worse to infect? Hermione did what she could to comfort him.

"Remus, you're okay, and everything is going to be okay," Hermione said to him in "their" classroom near the library.

"He could tell anyone any day, Hermione, and I'm not even sure that he shouldn't," Remus expressed. "I could do worse any month."

"He won't," Hermione said quickly. "And you won't. I- know, remember?" Hermione said hesitantly. "You taught me third year Defense Against the Dark Arts, and I don't think my classmate's parents knew about your little problem," Hermione explained.

Remus finally smiled, "You'd never said it was Defense before, but I guess I should have figured. I guess it does mean I'll only teach one year though," he finished a bit sadly.

"Not- necessarily," Hermione said a bit defensively.

Remus laughed, "That position has been cursed for a few decades by now, and it must still be the case by then for Dumbledore to be desperate enough to try me," he said in a rather downcast matter.

"You were the best defense teacher I ever had," Hermione declared, sticking up for his future self.

"Well, it will be a miracle if one Severus Snape ever lets me set foot in this building again without alerting the Prophet," Remus reminded her.

"I'll have you know that Professor Snape helped you quite a lot," Hermione, in favor of fairness, came to her rather disliked teacher's defense, before quickly hating herself for her slip of the tongue.

"Professor?!" Remus asked, clearly surprised.

"He would make you the potion to let you keep your sanity," Hermione said hotly and silently declined answering his question.

Remus seemed to contemplate for a moment before speaking, "I thought he would end up with the wrong lot, if he wasn't already. Lucius Malfoy and the others are likely Death Eaters already."

"I- shouldn't have said anything, of course," Hermione sounded apologetic, though her apology was not directed at anyone in particular.

"It was him that gave you the assignment that let you know I was a werewolf, wasn't it?" Remus asked, rather inscrutable in his opinions on the matter but seeming confident in his assessment.

"He apparently had wanted the Defense position, and I think it probably hurt him to see you with it," Hermione said quietly.

"Remarkable, all of it. Crazy really. For Severus Snape and myself to be professors here, and for you to be running around here with James's and Lily's son of all people. Madness," he muttered, deciding to try to think of other things at the moment, anything other than the childhood of the young woman seated about an inch from his right thigh.

Whatever exactly happened in Dumbledore's office, Remus Lupin was never exactly sure. James told him that he didn't think Snape would say anything, and between James and Hermione, Remus was inclined to believe them. It took weeks for everything to return to some semblance of normality, and Sirius was certainly on his best behavior, trying especially to please Remus and even to not antagonize Snape. Really complete avoidance was the best tactic for that situation, Remus thought. It made for an altogether quieter school. Remus knew that no one was perfect, and he even hoped that eventually everything would be okay, but he wasn't yet sure. It was a warm feeling for him though, on the next full moon, walking into that awful room in the shrieking shack and seeing his three old friends already there waiting for him, before he even changed. Maybe they could get past all of this in time and be a stronger, more united group. The Marauders.

With his friends and Hermione by his side, Remus was sad that the year was quickly drawing to a close. Soon exam review would begin in earnest, and he was not sure what would happen to Hermione after the year was over. It was a topic they avoided, but he felt sure that she was contemplating it as well. He could no longer bring himself to ask about any progress she was having in returning home. He could almost convince himself that there was nothing for her to return to at all. Why should she leave him? What must time move on so harshly? Remus was ever mindful that he had but one year left at Howgarts, and he did not know what would befall him after graduation. What was there for a young, intelligent werewolf? He dealt with these issues like any other: by ignoring them when he could and be spending as much time as possible with the Marauders and Hermione.

**A/N: I hope I did well with the first scene. It was from inspiration for a reviewer. Please, please review. They really make my day… not to beg or anything… I tried to be fair to both Dumbledore and Snape, trying to paint neither one too good or too bad but more true to the story. Of course, it's fine when people do whatever they want in fanfiction, but this is more my style.**


	25. Chapter 25 What Happens in Hogsmead

Chapter 25 What Happens in Hogsmeade

_With his friends and Hermione by his side, Remus was sad that the year was quickly drawing to a close. Soon exam review would begin in earnest, and he was not sure what would happen to Hermione after the year was over. It was a topic they avoided, but he felt sure that she was contemplating it as well. He could no longer bring himself to ask about any progress she was having in returning home. He could almost convince himself that there was nothing for her to return to at all. Why should she leave him? What must time move on so harshly? Remus was ever mindful that he had but one year left at Hogwarts, and he did not know what would befall him after graduation. What was there for a young, intelligent werewolf? He dealt with these issues like any other: by ignoring them when he could and be spending as much time as possible with the Marauders and Hermione._

*****Remus/Hermione*****

The time passed so quickly for Remus and Hermione that exams were already nearly upon them. Hermione spent an increasing amount of time studying, and he followed suit. He could not imagine that either of them could make themselves more ready for exams than they already were, and it was not even as if either of them were sitting for OWLs or NEWTS. Still, it was quite a struggle to convince Hermione to join him in Hogsmeade with exams little more than a week away.

"I'll fall completely behind in my revising schedule," Hermione protested.

"And who could you possibly be falling behind? You've revised all of it at least twice by now. I know Alice is among the best of your year, and I still see her with Frank every day. She was even in the Gryffindor common room yesterday evening."

"You know that we spend lots of time together. We spent half of the week in the library together. And Alice is afraid that she and Frank will fall apart when they can't see each other next year," she finished quietly, remembering a recent conversation with her roommate. Neither Hermione nor Remus acknowledged their own "distance" situation.

That little exchange perhaps encouraged Hermione to throw herself more into the Hogsmeade spirit. Anything was better than thinking of such unpleasant thoughts. They visited bookstores, novelty stores, and of course Honeydukes. Perhaps the conversation affected Remus's behavior as well, though Hermione was not going to complain. Remus was unusually daring that day, holding her hand as they walked and giving her kisses even in public. In one very memorable instance, Hermione found herself in a rather heated moment in a darker alley before the two of them were startled by a sudden noise. Hermione was not sure if she had ever hated anything so much as that clearly nosy cat than had interrupted her nice snog. Even in her indignation, she blushed at her actions. Hermione Granger was not the type that used the word "snog" very often, much less the girl in an alley, no matter how relatively innocent the act.

They sat in the Hogs' Head, an unusual place for a young couple to go, but Remus nearly laughed, thinking to himself that they were quite likely the most unusual of all young couple. A werewolf and a girl out of her time. Remus had told Hermione about the place, and she had wanted to see it for herself, so they sat in the dingy little pub that no one else near their age visited. It was generally a place for a less savory crowd or at least a very usual one. Remus had on more than one occasion seen other werewolves present, though always alone. There was a certain smell about them or a sense that Remus had, and a fear that he would become the same- cold and alone. A few years ago the boys discovered that the owner was none other than Aberforth Dumbledore, apparently estranged brother of the esteemed headmaster himself. Mostly the boys had visited here because questions about age and legality of drink of choice were generally not mentioned in the Hog's Head. There was nothing more exciting to a group of fourteen year olds than sneaking out to have anything stronger than butterbeer. Sharing a firewhisky was the height of fun and rebellion. The other three boys much preferred the Three Broomsticks once they were old enough for Sirius to be able to sweet-talk Rosmertta into ignoring a few months lacking in age, but Remus still enjoyed the Hog's Head's unusual charm.

The pair amiably sipped on a couple of butterbeers talking aimlessly about their day. They were to meet up with other soon, the other Marauders at least, to spend some time together before heading back to the castle. What sounded like an explosion broke the pair out of their comfortable conversation.

"What was that?" Hermione asked, though she knew that it sounded like a powerful reductor curse. It could have been an accident if they both didn't already hear more crashes and screams. The few other occupants of the bar seemed split between running out the door and hiding under a table.

"Let's go," Remus said, ignoring Hermione's prior question. He slipped his hand into hers as they both headed for the door. Upon some silent agreement, they headed for the Three Broomsticks, where they were shortly supposed to meet their other friends.

Hermione felt her heart racing as it had not since first seeing dementors. Even after three years with Harry, she never expected anything that might be dangerous. Remus slowed down and pulled her to a stop just before coming in sight of the Three Broomsticks. Shouts and curses were clearly audible at this distance.

"Go back to the Hog's Head, please," Remus suddenly requested, gripping her hand more tightly. He actually began running with her in that direction. Her feet managed to follow him across those few short blocks without conscious thought regarding plan or direction, a blank mind very uncharacteristic of Hermione Granger.

They ran past Frank dueling with some masked Death Eater, with Frank looking very much like an auror already. Remus might have screamed to him that he would be right back, but Hermione was not sure. A little voice in her head told her that she was better than this numbness, but she couldn't prompt herself to any more action than not dropping Remus's hand and keeping her feet moving. As they passed back through the door of the Hog's Head, past the old man with wand drawn at the door, Hermione noticed Alice leading younger children to another shop across the street. Though only a fourth year herself, Alice was shooting off spells that Hermione wasn't even sure if she recognized. Hermione immediately evaluated that her head was far too full with knowledge that did not include much combative magic.

Remus did not stop until they were in some dusty backroom, when Hermione grabbed his arm tighter, "What about Alice and the others? James and Lily?"

Remus tried to smile, "They'll be fine, right? Harry and everything. But you've got to stay here," he said, eerily calm for the drastic situation.

"And what's to stop me from leaving as soon as you leave and doing what I can out there?" Hermione challenged. She let herself forget her complete uselessness in this situation.

"I'll tell Aberforth not to let you out," he threatened, seeming a bit flustered now.

Hermione remained silent but attempted to pull away from his now tight grip.

"No, you can't come. Please don't," he begged, panic rising in his face. "I- I love you. I have for a while. I wanted to tell you today," he rushed his speech, "I don't know how this can work, but I've never wanted something so much in my life. Please stay, and don't get hurt."

Hermione reeled at this declaration, but tried to keep everything in perspective with the growing noise outside. "Okay," she said shakily, "I love you too," she said, needing to say it back to him even in this dangerous moment, or perhaps particularly so. She bit her lip and then smiled and laughed, "I think I have since I was thirteen actually, but I really know you now."

"I'll be back," he said, smiling widely despite the seriousness of the situation. He bounded out of the door and towards the noise of the streets. Hermione sat down on a dusty crate, not even bothered by the mess, simply wondering what her place was in all of this. She was still coming to terms with her helplessness despite book knowledge surpassing any of her age. It was amazing that Alice had any idea of what to do. She was determined to ask several of the upper years' students for help after this incident. It couldn't go too badly though, with all the people she knew in the future. Right?

As she sat in contemplation, until a few minutes after Remus left and a noise startled her, making her grasp harder on her wand and turn around wildly.

"Her- Miss Granger, it's time to go."

A/N: Please, please, please review, especially if you haven't before. I'm so excited about this part, and I hope everyone enjoys everything I write. In unrelated news, I am officially a college graduate! Also, I'm getting married tomorrow, so it's a busy time.

Review please! I hope to finish this before the next big phase of my life, getting married and moving cities, job searching and everything. I'm not sure if it will be done that fast though. I haven't really had much time to write or keep up with my favorite subscriptions. I just wiped my favorites section a while ago when I felt I was too obsessed. I hope no one was hurt by any of that, but sometimes everything is too much. I do think there is another story in store eventually, but I might want to write it completely before posting.


	26. Chapter 26 Full Circle

Chapter 26- Full Circle

"_No, you can't come. Please don't," he begged. "I- I love you. I have for a while," he rushed his speech, "I don't know how this can work, but I've never wanted something so much in my life. Please stay."_

"_Okay," she said shakily, "I love you too," she bit her lip and then smiled and laughed, "I think I have since I was thirteen actually, but I really know you now."_

"_I'll be back," he said, smiling widely despite the seriousness of the situation._

_A few moments after Remus left, a noise startled her, making her grasp harder on her wand and turn around wildly._

"_Her- Miss Granger, it's time to go."_

*****Hermione/Remus*****

Hermione whirled around to face one of the last people she had expected to see, "Remus?"

"Yes, -Hermione, it's time to go home," he said calmly and perhaps a bit hopefully or maybe sadly. Hermione could not read him like she usually could in this time. This was Remus as she first met him, close to twenty years her senior. Her mind wouldn't stop spinning again, trying to process everything in the emotional setting she was in.

"But, he- you were just. I can't. You'll be hurt."

"I know," he sighed, "Believe me, I know. But I'll be okay. Eventually. I'm leaving a note," and with that he took out a fresh piece of parchment from somewhere in his robes and waived his wand over it. He walked over to a corner and laid it on the floor, staring at it for a few moments and adjusting it a bit. "We don't have much time left," he sighed, "Trust me that this has to happen. You can't change the future."

"Okay," she answered, tears leaking from her eyes despite her best efforts. Her friends were outside fighting Death Eaters and maybe even Himself, and she was about to leave all of them to go where some of them are even dead. She did not feel loyal enough to be a Hufflepuff or brave enough to be a Gryffindor.

"Come here," he said, pulling out a time turner from a long chain around his neck, larger than the one she had been using herself in her third year. She came and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. He placed the chain around her neck and held her close. Remus could not resist leaning his head down to kiss the top of hers in what he told himself was only a friendly way. "I missed you," he whispered.

Hermione could not see what Remus did with the strange time turner, and she tried to ignore everything except his hold around her. She knew that her tears were wetting his old robe.

_You've got her. The world will crash around you but everything will be okay again eventually. Remember everything about these moments so you can bring her back when it is your time._

Remus looked at the old crinkled note that he had kept for close to twenty years. The words finally made sense. It had taken far too many years for everything to be okay again.

*****Remus*****

Remus left the Hog's Head more hopeful than any seventeen year old going to fight Death Eaters really had any right to be. Relief and joy overpowered any feeling of fear. Most of his friends had to come out alright anyway, he assured himself. And none would ever fall without the others, so they must be alright.

Spells flew back and forth, from students, Death Eaters, and other people in Hogsmeade. The alert must have reached the school, because he saw a few professors that he had not remembered seeing that morning in Hogsmead. He made a mental note to never get on McGonagall's bad side. The middle-aged witch moved her wand with unbelievable speed. She fought two masked opponent until one coward disapparated away, leaving her to make short work of the remaining Death Eater now wrapped in ropes.

A spell flew past his ear, reminding himself of the seriousness of the situation. He fought his Death Eater back and forth until he (Remus thought he was a he at least) gripped his left forearm tightly and apparated away. Remus's last spell went uselessly into the building next to him. All around, the same thing seemed to have been taking place, the students and people of Hogsmead seemingly victorious from this strange battle. He hadn't heard of such a strange, small battle, and he was more than delighted and surprised by the outcome. Actually fighting the Dark Arts was even far more exhilarating than the preparation and study. He was already mature enough though to realize the possible costs. He thought back to Hermione, but had to check on his fighting friends quickly first.

He ran down the streets looking for familiar faces. Professor McGonagall looked somewhat out of her element treating an injured student. Sirius was leaning against a building, apparently thinking deeply, but he appeared unharmed. Marlene McKinnon stood nearby. She didn't stand close, but Remus could see her eyes flitting back to Sirius often. Remus found James supporting a limping Lily Evans. James's smile was perhaps too large to be completely tasteful in the given situation as Lily finally gave in and let him carry her. He saw young Alice hurrying third and fourth year students out of buildings and back toward the castle. That young girl could have been a Gryffindor with all of her spunk, but she fit well in the House of the Badger, the kind badger he supposed, but a badger nonetheless. Frank must have been alright as well, or Alice would surely have been with him.

Satisfied and again wearing a smile, Remus turned back to retrieve Hermione. He trusted that though strange, Aberforth Dumbledore would have kept his establishment and those in it safe. The aging man nodded at Remus in an unusual sign of recognition as he reentered the bar. The bartender had resumed his usual post of appearing to clean one of the perpetually dirty glasses behind the bar. The still obviously shaken patrons of the drinking establishment clutched large glasses of very strong drinks for the early time of day. Remus was further surprised when the strange man passed him his customary drink, chocolate butter beer, and waved him on to the back ignoring Remus's movements toward paying.

Remus just smiled and hurried back, thinking that he would pay for Hermione's drink later and leave a tip for the kind but strange old man. His smile quickly died when he looked around the back room and did not see Hermione. "Her- Jane?" he called. "Jane?"

He rushed back to where Aberforth Dumbledore still stood. "Did you see the girl I was with leave? Brown hair?" he gestured to her approximate height as well.

Aberforth sighed, "No one left except you, but I think you should look closely around back there, young man."

Remus darted back into the other room, thoroughly confused, knowing that she couldn't have ignored or of all things, slept through his calls. He checked behind crates and in each corner until he slowed and picked up a note with a strangely familiar script. Tears leaked from his eyes without his notice as he read the note in his own handwriting over and over again.

Remus stared at the note he had just removed again from his pocket, trying to glean some hope from it, as he had been doing for the last few hours as lingering tears still fell down his face. "The world will crash around you but everything will be okay again," it read. He had once thought that losing Hermione was the world crashing, but even that did not compare to this new pain. She wasn't dead, just unreachable to him, so he could almost bare that loss. He allowed himself to think for a wonderful few moments about that fascinating young woman, hoping she would always be safe. Maybe she was better off away from him. Loving a werewolf was not a comfortable thing. She could grow up in a world safe from danger in a way the wizarding world had not known for more than the last decade. She would be two years old now, a detail he would rather not remember about the girl who still held his heart. She would not even know anything about magic for several more years, or about how the world was now safe, but at such a high price.

Three of his best friends were killed, but at least two of them had died ending this terrible war. Little Harry would grow up somehow, and grow up well even, because he felt sure that he had been, or rather would be, Hermione's friend. But before Lily's and James's bodies were even cold, one friend killed yet another. Sirius's betrayal hurt the worst, even more than the three deaths. Maybe it was better that Marlene never lived to see Sirius betray everyone. Maybe her death last summer had been what had pushed Sirius over the edge. They had dated on and off since sixth year, and Remus always expected them both to settle down together eventually.

None of that could possibly matter now though. Remus looked at the note again- how could anything ever be okay? How could the entire wizarding world celebrate when nothing in life could ever be happy again? He closed his eyes and not for the first time wished that Hermione could just be here with him.

Remus put a few papers down on the old table in the small flat he had been renting. He was working odd muggle jobs, which was not overly difficult with a bit of magic to divert any suspicion and fabricate backgrounds. He was becoming quite the expert at forging a few documents, and muggle companies rarely looked into anything they were handed anyway. He felt so alone among the muggles though, isolated from the world that he grew up in.

A stuffed wolf toy sat on his small kitchen table, a toy he'd been looking at for the last two weeks while wondering if he were crazy. It would be her fifth birthday today.

Hours later he stood in a neat little neighborhood of houses that looked mostly the same but not oppressively so. He stared at the house with the neat lawn and the bright yellow door as a white automobile approached.

The small girl with wild brown hair skipped out of the relatively new looking automobile and ran up to her house. Remus stood a house away pretending to look at a map and hoping that he wouldn't be mistaken as a pedophile. The girl clutched a book that appeared to be a fairy tale book, but it was not the small picture book that a girl just turning five would usually have. She even opened the book and read while she waited for one of her parents to open the door.

The kind looking man that must have been Hermione's father waved at Remus and called, "Can we help you find anything?"

The lump in Remus's throat almost didn't allow him to talk, but he managed to say, "No, but thank you. I'm fine. Just looking for- an old friend's house, but I think I've almost found it now."

"Well, I hope you find your friend," With another wave the man continued to his front door where his wife was holding the door open for him. Just before going inside, the little girl looked up at Remus and met his eyes. He could already see the quick mind behind those eyes, but mixed with abundant childlike contentment. She waved at him, not at all afraid of the stranger, and he managed a small wave back before she went in the house.

He waited a few minutes with his heart racing very unnecessarily. He couldn't help but think that this was crazy, and he was simply torturing himself. He walked into the family's backyard, hoping not to be notice, and placed the wolf near the border of their property under a large tree. He remembered seeing Hermione read under similar trees on a few nice days at school. He looked around for a few moments before quietly apparating away.

"She is a first year now, you know," Albus offered, making Remus's head snap up. Of course the old man would still remember, Remus reminded himself, looking back down at his mug of hot chocolate.

"Is that what you wanted to talk about, Albus?" he asked, "Because I don't think I should dwell much on a twelve-year-old girl," he answered. It was in the second term now, so even without thinking, he knew she was several months past her twelfth birthday now.

"Miss Granger and young Mr. Potter have become good friends," Albus offered as he sat across from his former student, who looked far more tired than a wizard in his thirties should, in a chronically tired of life sort of way.

"I know," he said quietly, "I knew they would be friends. And a redhead, so the youngest Weasley boy. Ever since Halloween if nothing's been changed," he said, looking at his drink and wishing that there were something stronger than chocolate in it. But that was not his way, to drink away sorrow, except for in a few weak moments.

Albus nodded, his eyes twinkling maddeningly and he did not reply.

"She didn't tell me anything that she called "important," but if a mountain troll doesn't rank on the list of important things, then I don't know what's going on at this school," he said, his voice rising slightly.

Albus's eyes seemed to twinkle less brightly and he sighed, "I do not know either at times. But it is an interesting situation. We have a fair degree of confidence that the three will make it through all challenges presented together for the next few years," he said conversationally.

Remus grunted in agreement though he did not like the phrasing. Eleven and twelve year olds should not have _challenges_. The thought of her safety was often a comfort to him, so long as they had not ruined time. He knew the wizarding world was at peace and there was supposed to be nothing more dangerous than the usual fare of a few hundred magical children in one place. Hermione should be perfectly safe and able to grow up in her own way at this school.

Albus had done something to make everyone not associate the young, bright girl with someone who should have been old enough to be her mother. Remus didn't really care what it was, so long as it worked.

"She seems alright though?" Remus asked, hating himself for even asking about the poor girl.

"Yes, she's doing quite well. Top in all of her classes, I believe. Though Mr. Potter does well for himself as well- except in potions and the somewhat duller classes. Though most eleven year olds are not very interested in History and Astronomy," Dumbledore added.

Remus bit his lip, thinking about his old friend. He had seen enough pictures of Harry to know that he looked eerily like James, but with Lily's eyes, just like he did as a baby.

"He'd love to meet you, I'm sure," Albus offered questioningly.

"No," Remus said, "I don't know if I could…" he trailed off.

"I gave him back his father's cloak for Christmas," Albus said.

The thought brought a smile to Remus's face. "I'm sure the three of them will have years of fun with that cloak, just as we did," he said, still smiling, though his throat was now very tight.

"Do you know why I asked you to come here today?" Albus asked, his eyes with their perpetual twinkle. It was over a year since Remus had last sat in the headmaster's office, though the headmaster had stopped by his house on occasion, an unusual honor that Remus honestly could have done without.

"I have an idea, yes," Remus responded slowly.

"I seem to find myself in need of a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher yet again," he explained.

"I know," Remus said, fidgeting in his seat.

"Does that mean that you will accept my offer?" Albus asked.

"I suppose I will," Remus said with a sigh.

"Excellent," the older wizard smiled. "I admit, that was considerably less effort than I have needed to put forth in the past several years."

Remus gave some sort of grunt in reply and then said, "I wouldn't want to change time, now would I?" he asked rhetorically, wondering if the headmaster had somehow gathered that he had been Hermione's Defense teacher, even with the little information that he had given Dumbledore.

"She's a brilliant young witch. She made sure to give a message to her friends even while she was petrified," Albus observed.

"What kind of school are you running, Albus?" Remus asked with narrowed eyes. Hermione, Harry, and the Weasley boy had come up against far more than he would have imagined they would have in the last year. Remus was beginning to understand why facing a troll did not seem like an important enough event to mention, but that only raised his anxiety.

"Trouble does seem to follow that trio," Albus admitted, seemingly not adequately ashamed in Remus's opinion, though Remus knew that he could not stay angry at this man long. The man did seem far too keen to keep Remus updated about the goings on of a thirteen year old girl, but to the codgy old fool everyone must seem like a child. Still, Remus could not help but feel a sense of pride for his old friend, even though she wouldn't even know who he was yet.

Remus sighed, "This will be a rather difficult year."

Remus looked at the large red train that he hadn't seen in more years than he would like to remember. The students would likely not begin arriving for another hour. He could have arrived at Hogwarts another way, but he thought perhaps she had once mentioned meeting him on the train. If he were honest with himself, he truly wanted to get a glimpse of her as soon as he could. He wore one of the robes that Hermione had given him for Christmas so long ago. He had managed to keep those two robes in better condition than the most of his wardrobe, but the life of a werewolf was difficult and the old robes had several darns in them now. There was only so much that magic could do for clothing over so many years. Content to pass time until the student arrived and still recovering from the last full moon, Remus settled in his seat near the end of the train in a compartment by himself and drifted off to sleep. His thoughts filled with memories of past train rides and of the girl that he would be teaching for at least the next year.

When he woke up, he could even see her. He thought he might have been dreaming for a moment before feeling the completely unforgettable and unpleasant presence of a dementor. He almost didn't notice it for a moment though. Poor Harry was affected so greatly by the dementor, he felt guilty for not looking into the boy's well-being more often. Even if he was raised by family, it was not the same as having parents, and early trauma can be very damaging. Remus made a mental note to try to help the boy during this year. He could use a distraction from thoughts of one Hermione Granger anyway.

Several months later Remus held the girl in his arms again, bringing her back home. He had been tempted to not go back to get her, to leave her with his younger self. He wondered what would have happened if he had not gone, how altering time truly worked. His younger years would certainly have been better with her there, but it would not be fair to her, to leave her in a time in which she did not truly belong.

Despite confused feeling about Her- Miss Granger, Remus felt more hopeful than he had in years. Maybe things would be better. He actually believed the words of his note now. He had Sirius back, and, if he was honest with himself, he now felt that in some ways he had Hermione back as well, though he knew he shouldn't think of her in that way. He tried to not think at all about the slim young woman in his arms. She looked the way he remembered her, older than the girl he had seen only hours before, but still so young. He could hardly believe that he was now so old.

They stood in the back room of the Hog's Head, which looked just the same in this time as it did in the past. He lost himself for a moment in his memories, but he dropped his arms as soon as he realized they were still grasped around the girl.

"I'm sorry Her- Miss Granger, that you have gone through such a strange year. I should think that you would be hesitant to repeat a full year, but I'm sure you would like to with your friends…"

Hermione did not seem to be paying especially close attention to what he was saying, unusual for her. "It's good to see you, Remus, I'm glad you're okay. She hesitated for a moment as if gathering courage, but then she leaned up on her toes as if to kiss his lips before he turned his head, making her lips just graze his right cheek.

"Hermione," he said her name with a resigned voice, "It took me years to let you go, but we- but you're still only fifteen. And I'm not seventeen anymore," he told her calmly with what he hoped was a mature, professor-like voice, though his heart ached in his chest.

Hermione took a deep breath, "I know. But you aren't the only one who can be patient," she whispered. Hermione took him into another hug, trying and failing to conceal the tears in her eyes that she refused to let fall. He did not resist her hug, wrapping his arms back around the girl. Neither knew exactly sure what would happen from here, but they were content to put off that future for a few more moments.

**A/N: Well, here they are, back in the time they started. I've actually been writing bits of these scenes for a long time, and I am happier with this (and the epilogue) than maybe any other chapter. You can imagine the ending however you want. They could both move on and follow cannon without anyone being the wiser, or they could make a new future. I am, of course, writing an epilogue with how I think of them though. I hope you like it, and I hope you have enjoyed this story. Please, please review.**


	27. The Epilogue

The Epilogue

It was difficult for her to go back to normal life, but they decided that pretending that nothing strange had happen was the best for everyone concerned. Or maybe it was just Dumbledore and Remus that seemed to have already decided that, because they never seemed to think that she would want to do anything else. Dumbledore cast several spells to make her look as young as she did nearly a year ago, or maybe just a few hours ago. She would just seem to age quickly over the summer to catch up with her new physical age. No one would be the wiser if she didn't tell them. But should she? Remus fled the scene as quickly as he could after leaving her with Professor Dumbledore. She supposed that if anyone felt stranger and more unsure about all of this, it would be Remus.

Her second time in fourth year was more exciting than it could have been. It was awful not learning anything new in class time when there was so much more she could be learning, but the Triwizard Tournament was at least exciting. She studied new topics on her own time, but there was not as much free time as she would have liked. She always seemed to be trying to help Harry with a Triwizard task or dealing with teenage drama that she could not help but feel was beneath her. Those boys could be so immature. Victor was nice, though he was upset when she finally told him that she was in love with someone else. He understood more when she said it wasn't Harry or Ron, but an older wizard who said she was too young. He actually became a good confidant, because she could talk to him about Remus without giving him too many specifics and without having to answer the questions that Ron and Harry would have asked. They agreed to continue writing each other after he went back home. Sometimes talking helped, but the heart can be a painful thing, especially when it wants something that it cannot have.

*****Hermione*****

The summer before fifth year was miserable for Hermione, and Christmas was just the same. Being at Grimmauld Place when it was clear that that woman, _Tonks,_ wanted Remus. Who could resist an adult metamorphamagus? Not that Remus was like that, but… And it would be easier to hate Tonks if she weren't so genuine and perfectly likable. Hermione could almost commiserate with her as being in a similar plight, not accepted by the object of their affection. Remus never mentioned Hermione's time in his past directly, but there were glances- her to him and him back to her. Hermione knew that Remus must know what she felt. Once, near the end of summer, after she could not stand Tonks's looks in Remus's direction, she made some silly excuse and ran from the dinner table as quickly as she could. To her surprise and eternal hope, Remus appeared at her doorway moments after she threw herself onto her bed. He must have left everyone else at the dinner table as well, and she briefly wondered what excuse he gave so soon after her own departure. "If it makes you feel better, I'm not interested in her," was all that Remus said before he left, before Hermione could even think of a response. How much did that mean?

She was always near the oldest of her class and the most mature in many ways (after getting over her bratty eleven-year-old self and realizing that a few things were more important that school work). But between that and time travel, she knew she should have been seventeen, feeling like she was playing in a world with children sometimes. She could not celebrate her seventeenth birthday, because everyone thought she was only turning sixteen and all of her friends were still fifteen or even younger. No matter how common place unusual occurrences were to everyone in this world, she felt sure that no one would accept her being closer with Remus, her former professor. She didn't think anyone would even want to hear about how she was really seventeen… Her parents would have been the worst to try to talk to about it. Well, maybe Harry and Ron would have been worse. She had always been nostalgic, never wanting to wish away time, but she would have given anything to age a few years more right now.

Then there was that awful excuse for a witch that controlled everything, Um_bitch_, as Hermione called her in her head. Hermione never thought that she would feel bad for Professor Trelawney, but anyone was better than that toad. It was a strange year, defying teachers and leading a group of students to the Hog's Head. She peaked into the Hog's Head back room again. It was unchanged. They learned so much, and Hermione watched Harry (and to some extent Ron and others as well) grow in so many ways.

And then everything was terrible when Sirius died. Hermione knew that Harry wasn't in a good place, but she felt sure that Remus wasn't either, and she couldn't even see him. She wasn't even in the room to be there for him when his friend was killed. To have gotten your friend back after all those years, only to lose him again so soon. She heard the story, and she could almost picture Sirius falling through the veil. She could imagine Remus holding Harry back even though his heart was breaking into a million pieces again. Everything must be so hard. As soon as she was cleared from the hospital wing, she knew she had to go see Remus first. The headmaster took pity on her after she pleaded her case, and he led her off school property under the guise of seeing her parents and apparated her to wherever Remus was. Dumbledore left her at the front door. It had been over two weeks from the time that Sirius had died, and she knew that Remus must hardly be in better shape than his old friend.

The house was small with a great deal of land around it, somewhere out in the country. She wondered if it was a family house or if he had bought it with money Sirius left him. She tried to swallow the throbbing lump in her throat. It had been too long. She knew she should have tried to come earlier, but Madame Pomfrey wouldn't hear of it, and she had just only managed to win the battle with the stubborn matron that day. Hermione almost wondered if the Headmaster had said anything to convince Madame Pomfrey. One could never be sure of anything with anything with Albus Dumbledore.

He looked awful when he finally opened the door. Hermione knew it was a full moon that night, the first since Sirius's death. She had known that she needed to come before that happened. She launched herself into Remus without any reservations, wrapping her arms around him, wishing there was more she could do.

Remus stood stiffly, but, to her relief, he quickly wrapped his arms around her as well. "I'm scared to be alone again," Remus spoke into her hair with a shaky voice. He might be able to hold himself together around others, but she could tell that he was a wreck. He continued, "Dumbledore had Severus make me some wolfsbane, but I couldn't even drink it. It hurts too much being me right now. And… Moony needs to mourn… Padfoot too," he said with a slightly rasping voice.

Hermione let him go and looked up in his eyes. She tried to smile, "I was really bored when I had to repeat fourth year," Hermione stated before she started to change. In seconds, a brown owl flapped where she had stood until it came to rest on the arm that Remus held out without thinking.

*****Remus*****

Remus could not help but smile at her. This girl- no, young woman, was truly remarkable. The owl was a thing of beauty as well. Brown eyes that looked just like the chocolate Remus liked so much looked back at him. She had more feathers on her head and closer together than a normal owl, reminding him of her beautiful though seemingly perpetually messy mane of hair. She shifted back into a human form and back into his arms, looking up at him with a sad smile. "There was a chapter in the book you gave me about animagus transformations. Dumbledore made sure that I had all of my things once I was back here. And actually I asked Sirius to send me some notes from when they... I even thought he might have remembered me when he said he wouldn't say anything to Harry," she said, looking up at Remus.

Remus knew he shouldn't kiss her, but everything hurt so much, and he just wanted to feel something good. When he was with her he wasn't alone anymore. And the moon would rise soon.

*****Hermione*****

After that night, Remus still insisted that they shouldn't be together, but Hermione knew that he was wearing thin in his resolve. She did not feel guilty in pushing him a bit either. Hermione thought her gentle nudges might even be helping him in his mourning. She knew that Remus still loved her, and even such an age gap couldn't matter that much. They started writing letters to each other during her sixth year. Sometimes she would pretend she was writing Victor if anyone asked. Usually she just managed not to get caught in her private letter writing. The boys were sweet but often self-absorbed.

Hermione was pleased in her sixth year, when she passed the mark where the rest of the wizarding world finally recognized her as being of age, though she knew that was not likely to help much in the eyes of her friends and family if they were to find out about Remus. She hated calling him "Professor Lupin" around other people, because he could never really be anything but Remus. In some strange way, she thought of them as being "together," and as time passed and as they wrote more letters, she felt confident that Remus felt the same. Despite terrifying revelations of horcruxes and dealing with sometimes unpleasant teachers, the worst Hermione personally had to complain about was Cormac McLaggan. Sixth year was not a bad year until the end.

Almost nothing could be worse than the loss of a near brother, but the loss of a father figure was close, and Remus had lost both in the span of a year. Hermione knew that Remus had looked up to Dumbledore since he had first visited him when Remus was eleven years old. Albus Dumbledore was the man that told young Remus Lupin that they would make special arrangements for him to be able to go to Hogwarts just like any other boy. Hermione felt a bit lost without the wise protector that gave Hogwarts some semblance of a feeling of safety. After all, he was always said to be the only one You-Know-Who feared. However, the loss of Defender of the Light Albus Dumbledore could not compare to the loss of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, the man who gave Remus a nearly normal life.

Sometimes undergoing great pain can make someone reevaluate their priorities. When Hermione arrived at his door, he didn't even ask how she had gotten there. They held each other, kissing and eventually talking until they both felt almost well enough to face the rest of the world.

"I love you," he whispered near her ear after brushing her wild hair away fondly.

"I love you too," she replied, smiling up at him in a large, genuine smile, though remnants of tears were still visable on her cheeks. "I always have. You just took a little convincing."

**A/N: I really hope you have enjoyed! I'm so, so, so excited about this chapter. Please Review! It was so hard deciding where to end the epilogue. I'm still not sure if I'm completely done, but I think that might be all that I have. I thought it was perfect to end it here. I didn't want it to just be announcing who I could see ending up with whom in this slightly altered universe, and how I see things ending out. Also, I would love you guys to get to read the Harry/ Fleur project that I'm still working on, but I needed to finish this project first I think, before posting it. I have found that it is increadibly hard to stay with an update schedule if you are still writing as you go, like I was with most of this story. Anyway, the Harry/Fleur story will be called Taking Her Place, a title I'm very happy with, unlike the title of this story, unfortunately.**

**Again, please review!**


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